
Glass #V \Y\\ 

Book , S^~ 

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CGFXRIGHT DEPOSIT 



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Copyright, 1910, by 

THE CHRISTIAN HERALD 
NEW YORK 



©CIA278195 



Entertainments for Home, 
Church, and School 



Contents 



CHAPTER I 

HOUSEHOLD GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS 

Going Shopping, Hit or Miss, Game of Rhymes, 
Most Improbable Story, Animated Art, Guessing 
Character, Tongue Twisters. 

CHAPTER II 

HOUSEHOLD GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS 

French Rhymes, Ant and Cricket, A Spoonful 
of Fun, How, When and Where, Grandfather's 
Trunk, Predicaments, Auction, Beast, Bird or 
Fish, Rotating Globe, etc. 

CHAPTER III 

HOUSEHOLD GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS 

Flags of All Nations, Game of Words, Prince 
of India, Exchange, Shadow Buff, Old Family 
Coach, The Tailless Donkey. 

CHAPTER IV 

HOUSEHOLD GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS 

Magic Music, Cushion Dance, Animal Blind 
Man's Buff, Musical Instruments, My Lady's 
Toilet, Going to Jerusalem. 



vi CONTENTS 

CHAPTER V 

HOUSEHOLD GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS 

Tortoise, Lemon Pig, Seasick Passengers, En- 
chanted Raisins, Family Giant, Animated Tele- 
scope, etc. 

CHAPTER VI 

HOUSEHOLD GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS 

The What Do You Think, Knight of the Whis- 
tle, "Can Do Little,' Throwing Light. 

CHAPTER VII 

CHURCH AND SCHOOL SOCIALS 

Charades, "Cicero," "Attenuate," Suggested 
Words, "Metaphysician," Charades on the Gre- 
cian Islands. 

CHAPTER VIII 

CHURCH AND SCHOOL SOCIALS 

Living Pictures, Tableaux, Dignity and Impu- 
dence, Sailor's Farewell, Home Again, Various 
Tableaux. 

CHAPTER IX 

CHURCH AND SCHOOL SOCIALS 

Wax Works Gallery, Mrs. Jarley's Collection, 
Chinese Giant, Two-Headed Girl, Captain Kidd, 
Celebrated Dwarf, Yankee Cannibal, etc. 

CHAPTER X 

CHURCH AND SCHOOL SOCIALS 

Art Exhibitions, List of Exhibitors, "Artists," 
Curiosities, Explanations, Suggestions. 



CONTENTS vii 

CHAPTER XI 

OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 

Raising the Ghost, Magic Lantern Pictures, 
Phantasmagoria, Chinese Shadows, Wonderful 
Mirror, Multiplied Money. 

CHAPTER XII 

TABLE GAMES FOR ADULTS 

Dominoes, Backgammon, Checkers, Jenkins,. 
Zoo, Stray Syllables, Chess. 

CHAPTER XIII 

OUTDOOR GAMES FOR ADULTS 

Lawn Tennis, Polo, Hockey, Golf, Archery, 
Ring Toss, Lawn Bowls. 

CHAPTER XIV 

HOLIDAY GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS 

New Years, Lincoln's Day, Valentine Party,. 
Easter Egg Party, Hallowe'en Games, Flag Day,. 
Thanksgiving, Christmas. 

CHAPTER XV 

OUTDOOR GAMES FOR GIRLS 

Basket Ball, Box Ball, Guess Ball, Target Ball, 
String Ball. 

CHAPTER XVI 

PASTIMES FOR CHILDREN 

Sun Dial, Mother, May I Play? Blind Man's 
Buff, Tug of War, Various Ball Games. 



viii CONTENTS 

CHAPTER XVII 

INDOOR GAMES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN 

Patch work, Peanut Game, Soap Bubbles, 
Candy Pulls, Cook and Peas, Magic Music, Zo- 
ology. 

CHAPTER XVIII 

OUTDOOR GAMES FOR YOUNG CHILDREN 

Bean Bag games, Skipping the Rope, Various 
Tag Games, Crossing the Brook. 

CHAPTER XIX 

SINGING GAMES FOR CHILDREN 

Moon and Stars, Bologna Man, Orchestra, Jack 
Be Nimble, Oats, Peas, Beans, Farmer in the 
Dell, London Bridge, etc. 

CHAPTER XX 

GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 

Thought Numbers, Mystical Nine, Magic Hun- 
dred, King and Counselor, Horse Shoe Nails, 
Dinner Party Puzzle, Baskets and Stones, etc. 

CHAPTER XXI 

ONE HUNDRED CONUNDRUMS 

Witty Questions, Facetious Puzzles, Ready 
Answers, Entertaining Play Upon Words. 



Introduction 

Games are meant to amuse, but in addi- 
tion to amusing, a good game, played in 
the right spirit, may have great educational 
value. 

Now, this is distinctly a book of games 
and amusements. 

There are games for indoors, scores of 
them, while there are other scores that can 
be enjoyed only in the open. 

When young folks, and older folks, too, 
for that matter, meet for a pleasant even- 
ing, it is rather depressing to have them sit 
solemnly on stiff chairs in the company 
room and stare helplessly at one another, 
like folks awaiting a funeral service. 

Now, if there is present, and there usu- 
ally is, a bright girl, who knows the games 
in this book, and she starts in to "get the 
ball a-rolling," all will soon be enjoying 
themselves better than if they were watch- 
ing a three-ring circus. And then the vol- 
leys of wholesome laughter that will roll 
out — why, they will be better for the diges- 



x INTRODUCTION 

tion than all the medicines of all the doc- 
tors. 

It will be noticed that some of the out- 
door games, and others devised for indoors, 
require some apparatus, like tennis and cro- 
quet, or back-gammon boards and magic 
lanterns, but the majority need only the 
company, and — let it be added — the dispo- 
sition to have a good time. 

Within the covers of "Entertainments 
for Home, Church, and School," you will 
find condensed and clearly set forth the best 
of a library of books on amusements. 



Entertainments 

for 

Home, Church and School 



CHAPTER I 

HOUSEHOLD GAMES AND AMUSE- 
MENTS 

GOING SHOPPING HIT OR MISS GAME OF 

RHYMES MOST IMPROBABLE STORY 

ANIMATED ART — GUESSING CHAR- 
ACTERS TONGUE TWISTERS 

GOING SHOPPING 

A lively game of "talk and touch." The 
company is seated in a circle, and one who 
understands the game commences by say- 
ing to his neighbor at the right : 

"I have been shopping." 

"What did you buy?" is the required re- 
sponse. 

"A dress," "a book," "some flowers," "a 
pencil" — whatever the first speaker wishes, 
l 



2 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

provided always that he can, in pronouncing 
the word, touch the object mentioned. Then 
the second player addresses his neighbor 
in similar manner, and so on around the 
circle until the secret of the game is dis- 
covered by all, 

Whoever mentions an object without 
touching it, or names one that has already 
been given, pays a forfeit. 

LIGHTING THE CANDLE 

This feat is a very amusing one, and is 
performed as follows : Two persons kneel 
on the ground, facing each other. Each 
holds in his left hand a candle in a candle- 
stick, at the same time grasping his right 
foot in his right hand. This position com- 
pels him to balance himself on his left knee. 
One of the candles is lighted; the other is 
not. The holders are required to light the 
unlighted candle from the lighted one. The 
conditions are simple enough, but one 
would hardly believe how often the per- 
formers will roll over on the floor before 
they succeed in lighting the candle. It 
will be found desirable to spread a news- 
paper on the floor between the combat- 
ants. Many spots of candle-grease will 
thus be intercepted, and the peace of mind 
of the lady of the house proportionately 
spared. 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 



HIT OR MISS 

Great amusement is excited by this game 
when played in the presence of a company 
of guests. Spread a sheet upon the floor 
and place two chairs upon it. Seat two of 
the party in the chairs within reach of each 
other and blindfold them. Give each a sau- 
cer of cracker or bread crumbs and a spoon, 
then request them to feed each other. The 
frantic efforts of each victim to reach his 
fellow sufferer's mouth is truly absurd — 
the crumbs finding lodgment in the hair, 
ears and neck much oftener than the mouth. 
Sometimes bibs are fastened around the 
necks of the victims for protection. 

CROSS QUESTIONS 

The company is divided into two equal 
parts and blank cards and pencils are dis- 
tributed. One side writes questions on any 
subject desired, while the other prepares in 
like manner a set of haphazard answers. 
The question cards are then collected and 
distributed to the players on the other side, 
while their answer are divided among the 
questioners. The leader holding a question 
then reads it aloud, the first player on the 
other side reading the answer he holds. 
Some of the answers are highly amusing. 



4. HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

THE GAME OF RHYMES 

A variation of the former game. The 
game is begun by a young lady or gentle- 
man speaking a single line, to which the 
next nearest on the left must respond with 
another line to rhyme with the first. The 
next player gives a new line, of the same 
length, and the fourth supplies a rhyme in 
turn, and so on. The game is provocative 
of any amount of fun and nonsense. A 
sample may be given : 

ist Player. — I think I see a brindle cow. 

2d Player. — It's nothing but your dad's 
bow-wow. 

3rd. Player. — He is chasing our black 
Tommy cat. 

4th Player. — Poor puss had best get out 
of that, etc. 

Any amount of nonsense may be indulged 
in a game of this sort, within proper limits. 
Clever players can easily give the game a 
most interesting turn and provoke rhymes 
that are original and witty. Thus, a sub- 
ject once started, every phase of it may be 
touched upon before the round closes. 

THE MOST IMPROBABLE STORY 

The players are seated in a circle and 
are provided with pencils and paper. It is 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 5 

then announced that this is a competition, 
and that the one who writes the most im- 
probable story in fifteen minutes wins a 
prize. The allotted time being up, the pa- 
pers are collected and re-distributed so that 
each players receives another player's story. 
The stories are then read aloud and a com- 
mittee decides which is the most improb- 
able story. A prize is usually given the 
writer of this. 

ANIMATED ART 

A picture is selected showing a group of 
individuals and portraying some historical 
incident or event illustrative of the affairs 
of every-day life. The performers make 
up, each one to represent some character 
in the picture. Out of their number some 
one is chosen to act as stage manager and 
he poses the figures. 

Two rooms with folding-doors, or one 
room divided by a curtain, are required for 
this representation. A reflection, or foot- 
light, will enhance the beauty of the pic- 
ture. 

GUESSING CHARACTERS 

One of the party leaves the room, while 
the others decide upon some character, real 
or fictitious. The absentee is then recalled, 
and each in turn asks him a question re- 



6 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

ferring to the character he has been elected 
to represent. When he guesses his identity, 
the player whose question has thrown the 
most light upon the subject has to go from 
the room. 

For example : A goes from the room, 
and the company decides that he shall rep- 
resent King Henry VIII. When he enters, 
No. I asks : "Which one of your wives 
did you love best ?" No. 2 says : "Do you 
approve of a man marrying his deceased 
brother's wife " No. 3 adds : "Were you 
very sorry your brother died?" etc., while 
A, after guessing various names, is led by 
some question to guess correctly, and the 
fortunate questioner is consequently sent 
from the room to have a new character as- 
signed him in turn. 

WHO IS MY NEIGHBOR? 

One-half the company is blindfolded ; 
these are then seated in such a way that 
each has a vacant chair at his right hand. 
The other half of the players gather in 
the middle of the room. This is done si- 
lently. The unblindfolded players will each 
one take one of the empty seats next to 
those who are blindfolded. When request- 
ed to speak or sing they must do so. It is 
permissible to disguise the voice. The 
blindfolded neighbor must guess who is 
speaking or singing. The bandages are not 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 7 

taken off until the wearer has guessed cor- 
rectly the name of the person at his right. 
When he guesses correctly, the one whose 
name was guessed is blindfolded and takes 
the guesser's place. 

The leader gives a signal, and the players 
who are unblinfolded walk softly to a va- 
cant chair. The leader then plays a fa- 
miliar air on an instrument, and says, 
"sing!" All must sing until he suddenly 
stops playing. The guessing goes on as be- 
fore until the leader decides to stop it. 

TONGUE-TWISTERS ANY NUMBER OF 

PLAYERS 

The amusing game of tongue-twisters is 
played thus : The leader gives out a sen- 
tence (one of the following), and each re- 
peats it in turn, any player who gets tan- 
gled up in the pronunciation having to pay 
forfeit. 

A haddock ! a haddock ! a black-spotted 
haddock, a black spot on the black back of 
the black-spotted haddock. 

She sells sea shells. 

She stood at the door of Mr. Smith's 
fish-sauce shop, welcoming him in. 

The sea ceaseth and it sufficeth us. 

Six thick thistle sticks. 

The flesh of freshly fried flying fish. 

A growing gleam glowing green. 



8 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

I saw Esau kissing Kate, the fact we all 
three saw, I saw Esau, he saw me, and she 
saw I saw Esau. 

Swan swam over the sea; swim, swan, 
swim ; Swan swam back again ; well swum, 
Swan. 

You snuff ship snuff, I snuff box snuff. 

The bleak breeze blighted the bright 
broom blossoms. 

High roller, low roller, rower. 

Oliver Oglethorp ogled an owl and oys- 
ter. Did Oliver Oglethorp ogle an owl and 
oyster? If Oliver Oglethorp ogled an owl 
and oyster, where are the owl and oyster 
Oliver Oglethorp ogled ? 

Hobbs meets Snobbs and Nobbs ; Hobbs 
bobs to Snobbs and Nobbs; Hobbs nobs 
with Snobbs and robs Nobbs' fob. "That 
is," says Nobbs, "the worse for Hobbs' 
jobs," and Snobbs sobs. 

Susan shines shoes and socks; socks and 
shoes shine Susan. She ceaseth shining 
shoes and socks, for shoes and socks shocks 
Susan. 

Robert Royley rolled a round roll round ; 
a round roll Robert Rowley rolled round. 
Where rolled the round roll Robert Rowley 
rolled round? 

Strict, strong Stephen Stringer snared 
slickly six sickly, silky snakes. 

The Leith police dismisseth us. 

She sun shines upon shop signs. 



CHAPTER II 

FRENCH RHYMES ANT AND CRICKET 

SPOONFUL OF FUN HOW, WHEN AND 

WHERE — GRANDFATHER'S TRUNK 

PREDICAMENTS AUCTION BEAST, 

BIRD, OR FISH — ROTATING GLOBE 

BUTTON, BUTTON 

The players sit around the room in a 
circle. The leader then holds a button be- 
tween his hands, with the palms pressed 
together, so as to hide it. He goes around 
the circle, passing his hand between those 
of the players. As he does this, he says : 
"Hold fast to what I give you." He is 
careful not to let the players see into whose 
hands he passed the button. The circuit 
having been made, the leader says to the 
first player: "Button, button, who has the 
button ?" The one questoned must answer, 
naming some one whom he thinks has it. 
So it continues until all have had a turn at 
answering the same question. Then the 
leader says: "Button, button, rise!" The 
button holder must do this. 
9 



10 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 



FRENCH RHYMES 

Each member of the company writes 
upon a slip of paper two words that rhyme. 
These are collected by one player and read 
aloud, and as they are read everybody 
writes them down upon new papers. Five 
or ten minutes being allowed, each player 
must write a poem introducing all the 
rhyming words in their original pairs. At 
the expiration of the given time the lines 
are read aloud. Suppose the words given 
are "man and than/' "drops and copse," 
"went and intent," etc., these are easily 
framed into something like this : 

Once on a time a brooklet drops, 

With splash and dash, through a shady copse; 

One day there chanced to pass a man, 

Who, deeming water better than 

Cider, down by the brooklet went, 

To dip some up was his intent. 

Of course, the result is nonsense, but it 
is pleasant nonsense, and may be kept up 
indefinitely, to the entertainment of the par- 
ticipants. 

CONSEQUENCES 

The players are each provided with a slip 
of paper and a pencil. Each must write 
the name of some gentleman (who is 
known to the party), turn down the end 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 11 

of the paper on which the name is written, 
and pass the paper to the next neighbor. 
All must then write the name of some lady 
(also known), then change the papers again 
and write "where they met," "what he 
said," "what she said," "what the world 
said," and "the consequences," always pass- 
ing the papers on. When all are written,, 
each player must then read his paper. 

Mr. Jones 

And Miss Smith 

Met on a roof 

He said, "I trust you are not afraid." 
She said, "Not while you are here." 
World said, "It's a match." 
Consequences, "He sailed for Africa next 
morning," etc. 

ANT AND CRICKET 

One of the company being appointed to 
represent the Cricket, seats himself in the 
midst of the other players, who are the 
Ants, and writes upon a piece of paper 
the name of a certain grain, whatever kind 
he pleases. He then addresses the first 
Ant: "My dear neighbor, I am very hun- 
gry, and I have come to you for aid. What 
will you give me I" "A grain of rice, a ker- 
nel of corn, a worm," etc., replies the Ant, 
as he sees fit. The Cricket asks each in 
turn, and if one of them announces as his 
gift the word already written upon the pa- 



12 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

per, the Cricket declares himself satisfied 
and changes places with the Ant. 



A SPOONFUL OF FUN 

This is a German game. One of the 
players goes into the middle of a ring 
formed by the other players. He is blind- 
folded and has a large, wooden spoon for 
a wand. The players join hands and dance 
about him. There may be music, if it be 
so desired. When the signal is given to 
stop, all must stand still. The blindfolded 
one touches one of the players with his 
hand and tries to guess his identity. If he 
guesses correctly, that player must take his 
place. Stooping, kneeling, or tiptoeing may 
be resorted to, to conceal the identity of the 
players. 

WHAT IS MY THOUGHT LIKE? 

Though this is a very old game, it is well 
worth the playing. The leader asks each 
player in turn, "What is my thought like?" 
The one questioned gives any answer he 
desires. Each player is asked in turn and 
a list is kept of the replies. Finally the 
leader tells what his thought was, and asks 
each player in what way it resembles the 
thing he, or she, likened it to. 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 13 

BIOGRAPHY 

Each player receives a pencil and paper 
and takes a seat as one of the circle of 
players. The left-hand neighbor is the sub- 
ject for his right-hand neighbor's bio- 
graphical sketch. Any absurd happening 
will do, the more ridiculous the biography, 
the better. The wittiest one calls for a 
prize. 

NICKNAMES OF CITIES 

Certain cities have been nick-named, as 
Chicago, the Windy City; Philadelphia, the 
City of Brotherly Love, etc. The hostess 
requests her guests to wear something sug- 
gestive of the nickname of the city repre- 
sented. Each guest writes on a piece of 
paper what cities he supposes the other 
guests are representing. A half hour is 
allowed, when a prize is awarded the one 
who has given the largest number of 
guesses correctly. 

HOW, WHEN AND WHERE 

One member of the company, leaving the 
room, a word admitting of more than one 
interpretation is chosen by the others. On 
his return, he asks each in succession, "How 
do you like it ?" The player questioned be- 
ing required to give an appropriate an- 



14 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

swer. He then inquires in similar man- 
ner, "When do you like it," and if the 
answer to that question still gives him no 
clue, proceeds to ask, "Where do you like 
it?" 

When he at last discovers the word, the 
person whose answer has furnished him 
with the most information, must in turn 
leave the room and become the questioner. 

We will suppose the word chosen to be 
"rain," which can also be taken as "reign" 
or "rein." The question, "How do you 
like it?" receives the answers, "tight," 
"heavy," "short," "warm," etc. 

The question, "When do you like it?", 
"in summer," "when I am driving," "in 
the nineteenth century," etc. 

"Where do you like it?", "in the Uni- 
ted States," "on a horse," "in the sky," 
etc. 

MY GRANDFATHER'S TRUNK ANY NUMBER 

OF PLAYERS 

A great game for young folks of a win- 
ter evening. The company being seated 
in a circle, somebody begins by saying, 
for instance : 

No. i. "I pack my grandfather's trunk 
with a pair of spectacles." 

No. 2. "I pack my grandfather's trunk 
with a pair of spectacles and a silk hat." 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 15 

No. 3. "I pack my grandfather's trunk 
with a pair of spectacles, a silk hat and a 
dime novel." And so on, each person 
repeating all the articles already men- 
tioned, besides adding a new one. 

If any one fails to repeat the list cor- 
rectly, he drops out of the game, which is 
continued until the contents of the trunk 
are unanimously declared too numerous 
to remember. 



Location is geographical in character. 
Two captains are chosen. They choose 
sides until the party is equally divided. One 
captain begins the game by calling the name 
of a city. He then counts thirty. Before he 
has finished counting, his opposite op- 
ponent must tell where the city is located. 
If his answer be correct, 4ie in turn names 
a place, and the second player in the op- 
posite row must locate it before he counts 
thirty. Should any player fail to answer 
before thirty is counted, or answer incor- 
rectly, he or she must drop out. When 
there is only one player left on either side, 
that one gets the prize. 

PREDICAMENTS 

Predicaments are thought out. The 
more ridiculous they are the better. They 



16 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

are written on sheets of paper. Each per- 
son has to write his idea of the best way 
out of a predicament. Then the papers 
are collected and read. Prizes are given 
if the hostess so desires. 

PROGRESSIVE PUZZLES 

Provide as many small, square cards as 
there are guests ; also several pairs of scis- 
sors. The party seats itself in a circle. 
The cards and scissors are given out. Then 
each player cuts his card twice across, so 
as to make four pieces. The straight cuts 
must intersect each other. After the first 
cut, the pieces must be held together until 
the second cut has been made. 

A player mixes his pieces and passes 
them to his right-hand neighbor. When 
the leader gives the signal, all the players 
put together the four pieces they have. 
The one who first succeeds calls out 
"ready." Then all stop and pass the cards 
on again. The successful player is given 
a mark on a tally card. The game goes 
on until a half hour has passed. The per- 
son receiving the most marks is entitled 
to a prize, or may become the leader, as 
preferred. 

MIRTH 

The leader for this game must have a 
contagious laugh. He throws a handker- 



* 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 17 

chief into the air; when he does this, all 
must laugh heartily, until the handker- 
chief lies upon the ground, then the laugh- 
ing must stop immediately. The player 
laughing after the handkerchief touches 
the ground is "out." This also happens 
to the one laughing too soon. The one 
left alone at last is the winner, and may 
become leader. 



Each player in the party is given two 
slips of paper and a pencil. On one slip 
he writes a question. This may be seri- 
ous or absurd, as he wishes. On another 
paper he writes a word, this being a noun 
— either proper or common. The ques- 
tions being mixed are distributed — the 
words likewise. The players write verses 
answering the questions and containing the 
words received. 



Needed: Twenty, or more, packages, 
zvrapped in paper. 

Auction may be made a very merry 
game. It depends upon the auctioneer, 
however, to make the sales interesting; 
any articles may be chosen, though dolls, 
Teddy bears, etc., are suggested. The ar- 



18 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

tides are catalogued. They are paid for 
with the beans given to the players with 
the catalogues. 

BEAST, BIRD OR FISH 

The players sit round in a circle, and 
one player, who is "it," points to some 
one, and says either "beast," "bird," or 
""fish." He then counts ten as quickly as 
possible. The person pointed to must name 
some "beast," "bird," or "fish" (which- 
ever he was asked), before ten is reached. 
If he fails he must give a forfeit. 

THE ROTATION OF THE GLOBE 

When you next chance to eat an egg 
for breakfast, do not fail to try the follow- 
ing experiment. It is one which always 
succeeds, and is productive of much 
amusement to the company. 

Moisten slightly with water the rim of 
your plate, and in the center paint with the 
yolk of the egg a sun with golden rays. 
By the aid of this simple apparatus, you 
will be in a position to illustrate, so clearly 
that a child can comprehend it, the double 
movement of the earth, which revolves 
simultaneously round the sun and on its 
own axis. 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 19 

All that you have to do is to place the 
empty half-shell of your egg on the rim 
of the plate, and keeping this latter duly 
sloped,, by a slight movement of the wrist 
as may he needful, you will see the egg- 
shell begin to revolve rapidly on its own 
axis, at the same time traveling round the 
plate. It is hardly necessary to remark 
that the egg-shell will not travel uphill, 
and the plate must therefore be gradually 
shifted round, as well as sloped, so that 
the shell may always have an inch or two 
of descending plane before it. 

The slight cohesion caused by the water 
which moistens the plate counteracts the 
centrifugal force and so prevents the egg- 
shell falling off the edge of the plate. 



Pencil and paper having been given the 
players, each writes a piece of advice and 
folds his paper. He passes it to his neigh- 
bor, who before opening it, tells whether 
he thinks the advice good or bad. If he 
guesses correctly, he scores a point. The 
game goes on this way, each at the table 
taking a turn, when new advices are writ- 
ten and passed along. This is done as 
many times as the hostess desires. The 
one getting the most points is winner. 



20 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 



WORDS 

Each player receives a pencil and paper. 
He is then told to make as many words as 
he can from a given word of fifteen let- 
ters, or more. It is surprising how many 
words can be thus made. The winner is 
the one fashioning the greatest number of 
words. A book is given him as a prize. 



CHAPTER III 

GAME OF WORDS PRINCE OF INDIA EX- 
CHANGE SHADOW BUFF TAILLESS DON- 
KEY THROWING THE HANDKERCHIEF 

FLAGS OF ALL NATIONS 

You can learn the colors of the flags of 
all nations by referring to a large dic- 
tionary, or to a book on flags. The flags 
are drawn with colored crayons, or paint- 
ed in water colors, on a large water-color 
card, or a sheet of water-color paper. 
Large cards with numbers down the sides 
are given to each player, with a pencil. The 
card of flags is then hung where all can 
see it, and half an hour is allowed for all 
to guess the countries to which the flags 
belong. The answers are written on the 
individual cards, and the papers are signed 
with the names of the players. 

A prize is given to the player who has 
the greatest number of correct answers. 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 



ANOTHER GAME OF WORDS 

The players, each of whom is supplied 
with paper and pencil, are divided equally 
into two sides, and the leader, having se- 
lected a word, suppose "notwithstanding," 
each party sets to work to see how many 
different words they can make of the same 
letters. (Thus from the word above sug- 
gested may be made "not, with, stand, 
standing, gin, ton, to, wig, wit, his, 
twit, tan, has, had, an, nod, tow, this, 
sat, that, sit, sin, tin, wink, what, who, 
wish, win, wan, won," and probably a host 
of others.) A scrutiny is then taken, all 
words common to both parties being struck 
out. The remainder are then compared, 
and the victory is adjudged to the one hav- 
ing the largest number of words. 

GRAMMATICAL GAME 

This is played by each person drawing, 
say, twenty letters haphazard, and trying 
to form them into a phrase or sentence, the 
palm of merit being awarded to the player 
who, at the same time, produces the most 
coherent phrase, and also succeeds in using 
the greatest proportion of the letters as- 
signed to him. 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 



MENAGERIE 



This is a very funny game if the ring- 
natter keeps up a running fire of witty 
remarks. He stands in the circle of ani- 
mals — otherwise guests — and, whip in 
hand, shows off his animals, and their 
* tricks, singly, and in groups. The lion 
roars, as well as performs; the dog barks, 
and performs the tricks he is told to show 
off ; the canary warbles its song ; the bee 
buzzes; the donkey brays, balks and kicks, 
etc. At the end of the performance there 
is a grand circus parade, with music. 

PRINCE OF INDIA 

f 

The players are numbered from one up- 
ward. 

The leader stands in front of them and 

says : "The Prince of India has lost his 

pearl. Did you find it, number seven?" 

Upon this, number 7 replies, jumping to 

t> his feet quickly : 

"1, sir, I?" 

The leader replies, "Yes, you, sir!" 
Number 7 says : "Not I, sir !" 
Leader : "Who then, sir, if not you ?" 
Number 7: "Number 4, sir." 
Number 4 jumps up, and says: 



24, HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

"What, sir? I, I?" 
Leader : "Yes, sir ; you, you." 
Number 4: "Not I, not I, sir." 
Leader: "Who then, sir?" 
Number 4 : "Number 2, sir." 
Then number 2 jumps to his feet. 
This goes on until the leader reaches 
the last one in the circle. If he can repeat 
again "The Prince of India has lost his 
pearl," before this one can jump to his 
feet, they exchange places. 

EXCHANGE 

A blindfolded player stands in the center ; 
the others are seated about him in a circle. 
Each one is numbered. The blindfolded 
player calls out two numbers, whereupon 
the players bearing those numbers exchange 
places, the blindfolded player trying mean- 
while either to catch one of the players 
or to secure one of the chairs. Any play- 
er so caught must yield his chair to the 
catcher. No player may go outside of the 
circle formed by the chairs. 

HUNT THE RING 

All the players stand in a circle holding 
a long cord, which forms an endless band 
upon which a ring has been slipped before 
it was joined at the ends. This ring is 



r 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 25 

passed rapidly from one player to another 
— always on the cord and concealed by 
the hand— while somebody in the center 
endeavors to seize the hands of the person 
who holds it, who, when actually caught, 
takes his place within the circle. 

If the circle is very large, two rings may 
be slipped upon the cord, and two players 
placed in the center together. 

A small key may be used instead of a 
ring, while still another variation is to have 
the concealed object a small whistle with 
a ring attached. When this is adopted, an 
amusing phase of the game is to secretly 
attach a string to the whistle and fasten 
this to the back of the player in the cen- 
ter by means of a bent pin at the other 
end of the string. Then while feigning 
to pass the whistle from hand to hand, 
it is occasionally seized and blown upon 
by some one in the ring, toward whom 
the victim is at that moment turning his 
back, causing that individual to be greatly 
puzzled. 

SHADOW BLUFF 

A sheet being stretched across one end 
of the room, one of the players being seat- 
ed upon a low stool facing it, and with his 
eyes fixed upon it. The only light in the 
room must be a lamp placed upon a table 
in the center of the room. Between this 



26 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

lamp and the person on the stool, the 
players pass in succession, their shadows 
being thrown upon the sheet in strong re- 
lief. The victim of the moment endeavors 
to identify the other players by their re- 
spective shadows, and if he succeeds the 
detected party must take his place. 

It is allowable to make detection as diffi- 
cult as possible by means of any available 
disguise that does not conceal the whole 
person, any grimacing, contortion of form, 
etc. 

GUESSING EYES AND NOSES 

A sheet is fastened up between two 
doors. Holes are cut in it, and some of 
the party go behind the sheet and stand 
with their eyes at the holes, while the oth- 
ers must guess to whom the eyes belong. 
Failing to guess correctly, they must give 
a forfeit. 

THE TAILLESS DONKEY 

An amusing game, at which any size 
party may play and enjoy it for hours. 
Cut a large figure of a donkey, minus a 
tail, from dark paper or cloth, and pin it 
upon a sheet stretched tightly across a 
door-way. Each player is given a piece of 
paper, which would fit the donkey for a 
tail, if applied. On each tail is written the 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 27 

name of the person holding it. When all 
is ready, the players are blindfolded in 
turn — placed facing the donkey a few steps 
back in the room — then turned around rap- 
idly two or three times, and told to ad- 
vance with the tail held at arm's length, 
and with a pin previously inserted in the 
end, attach it to the figure of the donkey 
wherever they first touch it. When the 
whole curtain is adorned with tails — (not 
to mention all the furniture, family por- 
traits, etc., in the vicinity) — and there are 
no more to pin on, the person who has suc- 
ceeded in fastening the appendage the 
nearest to its natural dwelling place, re- 
ceives a prize, and the player who has 
given the' most eccentric postion to the 
tail entrusted to his care, receives the 
"booby" prize, generally some gift of a 
nature to cause a good-humored laugh. 

THROWING THE HANDKERCHIEF 

A very old and still quite popular game. 
The company being seated around the room 
in a circle, some one stationed in the cen- 
ter throws an unfolded handkerchief to 
one of the seated players. Whoever re- 
ceives it must instantly throw it to some 
one else, and so on, while the person in 
the center endeavors to catch the hand- 
kerchief in its passage from one player to 



28 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

another. If he catches it, as it touches 
somebody, that person must take his place 
in the center. If ■ it is caught in the air, 
the player whose hands it last left enters 
the circle. 

The handkerchief must not be knotted 
or twisted, but thrown loosely. 



CHAPTER IV 

► MAGIC MUSIC CUSHION DANCE— ANIMAL 

BLINDMAN'S BLUFF MY LADY'S TOILET 

GOING TO JERUSALEM 

MAGIC MUSIC 

A beautiful game, which amuses even 
the mere spectator as much as it does the 
players. One of the company sits at the 
piano while another leaves the room. The 
rest of the party then hide some article, 
previously agreed upon, and recall the ab- 
sent player. At his entrance the pianist 
begins playing some lively air, very softly, 
keeping up a sort of musical commentary 
upon his search, playing louder as he ap- 
proaches the goal, and softer when he 
wanders away from it. In this way he is 
guided to at last discover the object of 
his search. 

CUSHION DANCE 

The cushions are set upright in a circle 
on the floor. The players then join hands, 



30 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

and form a ring round them. The circle 
formed by the cushions should be almost 
as large as the ring formed by the play- 
ers, and the cushions may be placed at a 
considerable distance apart. The players 
in the ring dance round ; and each player, 
as he dances, tries to make his neighbors 
knock over the cushions. He, however, 
avoids knocking over any himself. The 
players should not break the ring, as the 
penalty to one letting go hands is expul- 
sion from the ring. If it is preferred, In- 
dian clubs placed on end may be substi- 
tuted for the cushions. 

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS 

The players sit in a circle and form an 
orchestra. The conductor stands in the 
center. A tune is decided on, and the in- 
struments are selected. Then the conduc- 
tor beats time, and each player imitates 
as well as he can the sound of his instru- 
ment, and the motion used in playing it. 
Suddenly the conductor turns to one of 
the players and asks, "What is the matter 
with your instrument?" and immediately 
counts ten. Before he finishes counting, 
the player who has been questioned must 
begin an answer which is appropriate to 
his instrument. If his answer is inappro- 
priate, or if it is not begun before the 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 31 

counting stops, he must change places with 
the conductor. 

Whenever the conductor claps his hands 
the music must stop, and the players must 
remain in the attitudes in which they were 
when he gave the signal. Any one who 
fails to stop humming, or who changes 
his position, must become leader. 

The same conductor may continue 
throughout the game. The person who 
fails in any of the requirements of the 
game then pays a forfeit. 

ANIMAL BLINDMAN'S BLUFF 

A blindfolded player stands in the cen- 
ter of a circle with a wand, stick, or cane 
in his hand. The other players dance 
around him in a circle until he taps three 
times on the floor with the cane, when all 
must stand still. The blindfolded one 
points his cane in any direction. The one 
directly opposite it must make a noise like 
an animal. From this the person in the 
center of the ring guesses the other's iden- 
tity. If he does so, there is an exchange 
of places. 

MY LADY'S TOILET 

This is a French game. In it each 
player is named for some article of "My 



32 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

Lady's Toilet," such as her gown, her hat, 
her gloves, etc. The players sit in a cir- 
cle, and when the leader mentions an arti- 
cle of the toilet, the one who is named for 
it must rush to the center of the ring be- 
fore the platter stops spinning there. If 
successful, he or she takes the place of 
the spinner in the center of the ring. If 
unsuccessful, the person returns to his or 
her place. 

The leader may keep up the interest of 
the game by comments on the toilettes. 
This is most interesting in story form. 

A variation of this game introduces the 
word ball. Whenever this is spoken of, the 
players must jump up and change places, 
the spinner trying to secure a seat in the 
general confusion. The odd player be- 
comes a spinner. 

MARY AND JOHN 

The players — all but two — form a circle 
and clasp hands. Two odd players in the 
center are called, "Mary" and "John." 
The object of the game is for John to 
catch Mary. As he is blindfolded, he can 
only locate her in her stealthy movements 
by the sound of her muffled voice. When 
he says, "Mary, where are you ?" she must 
answer as often as he questions her. 

Mary may stoop or tiptoe, or resort to 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 33 

any means to escape capture, except leav- 
ing the ring. 

When Mary is captured she is blind- 
folded and John takes her seat. 

So the game goes on after Mary has 
chosen a new John. 

GOING TO JERUSALEM 

This is a piano game, but does not re- 
quire great skill. One person goes to the 
piano, while the others arrange in a line 
as many chairs, less one, as there are play- 
ers, the chairs alternately facing opposite 
directions. Then, as the pianist begins to 
play, the others commence marching 
around the line of chairs, keeping time to 
the music. When this suddenly ceases, 
everybody tries to sit down, but as there 
is one less chair than players, somebody is 
left standing, and must remain out of the 
game. Then another chair is removed, 
and the march continues, until the chairs 
decrease to one, and the players to two. 

Whichever of these succeeds in seating 
himself as the music stops, has won the 
game. 

"what d'ye buy?" 

This game may be played by any num- 
ber from three to thirteen. There are a 
dozen good-sized pieces of cardboard, each 



34 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

bearing a colored illustration of one of 
the "trades" following, viz. : a milliner, a 
fishmonger, a greengrocer, plumber, a mu- 
sic-seller, a toyman, mason, a pastry-cook, 
a hardware-man, a tailor, a poulterer, and 
a doctor. Besides these there are a num- 
ber of smaller tickets, half a dozen to each 
trade. Each of these has the name of the 
particular trade, and also the name of 
some article in which the particular trades- 
man in question may be considered to deal. 
A book accompanies the cards, containing 
a nonsense story, with a blank at the end 
of each sentence. 

One of the players is chosen as leader, 
and the others each select a trade, receiv- 
ing the appropriate picture, and the six 
cards containing the names of the articles 
in which the tradesman deals. He places 
his "sign" before him on the table, and 
holds the remainder of his cards in his 
band. The leader then reads the story, 
and whenever he comes to one of the blanks, 
he glances towards one of the other play- 
ers, who must immediately, under penalty 
of a forfeit, supply the blank with some 
article he sells, at the same time laying 
down the card bearing its name. The in- 
congruity of the article named with the 
context make the fun of the game, which 
is heightened by the vigilance which each 
player must exercise in order to avoid a 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 35 

forfeit. Where the number of players is 
very small, each may undertake two or 
more trades. 

We will give an illustration. The con- 
cluding words indicate the trade of the 
person at whom the leader glances to fill 
up a given hiatus. 

"Ladies and gentlemen, I propose to re- 
late some curious adventures which befell 
me and my wife Peggy the other day, but 
as I am troubled with a complaint called 
'Non mi ricordo,' or the 'Can't remembers/ 
I shall want each of you to tell me what 
you sell; therefore, when I stop and look 
at one of you, you must be brisk in recom- 
mending your goods. Whoever does not 
name something before I count 'three' must 
pay a forfeit. Attention ! 

"Last Friday week I was awakened very 
early in the morning by a loud knocking at 
my door in Humguffin Court. I got up in 
a great fright, and put on" — (looks at 
Toyman, who replies, "A fool's cap and 
bells," and lays down that card). 

"When I got downstairs, who should be 
there but a fat porter, with a knot, on 
which he carried" — (Poulterer) "a pound 
of pork sausages." 

" 'Hallo !' said I, 'my fellow, what do 
you want at this time of day?' He an- 
swered" — (Fishmonger) "'A cod's head 
and shoulders.' " 



36 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

" 'Get along with you,' I said ; 'there's 
my neighbor, Dr. Drenchall, I see, wants' " 
— (Butcher) "'a sheep's head.'" 

"I now went up to shave, but my soap- 
dish was gone, and the maid brought me 
instead" — (Milliner) "a lady's chip hat." 

"My razor had been taken to chop fire- 
wood, so I used" — (Greengrocer) "a cu- 
cumber." 

"I then washed my face in" — (Doctor) 
"a cup of quinine," "cleaned my teeth 
with" — (Fishmonger) "a fresh herring," 
and "combed my hair with" — (Pastrycook) 
"a jam tart." 

"My best coat was taken possession of 
by pussy and kittens, so I whipped on" — 
(Hardware-man) "a dripping pan." 

"The monkey, seeing how funny I 
looked, snatched off my wig, and clapped 
on my head" — (Poulterer) "a fat hen." 

"I now awoke my wife, and asked her 
what she had nice for breakfast ; she said" 
— (Doctor) " a mustard plaster." 

"Then I scolded Sukey, the servant, and 
called her" — (Poulterer) "a tough old tur- 
key." 

"But she saucily told me I was no bet- 
ter than" — (Music-seller) "an old fiddle." 

"I soon had enough of that, so I asked 
my wife to go with me to buy" — (Tailor) 
"a pair of trousers." 

"But she said she must have her lunch 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 37 

first, which consisted of " etc., etc., 

through half a dozen pages, the tradesmen 
supply more or less appropriate articles to 
fill up the gaps in the discourse. 



CHAPTER V. 

RAISIN TORTOISE — LEMON PIG — SEASICK 

PASSENGER ENCHANTED RAISINS 

LUMP OF SUGAR MYSTERIOUS PRO- 
DUCTION FAMILY GIANT 

THE RAISIN TORTOISE 

This noble animal is constructed as fol- 
lows : A muscatel raisin forms the body, 
and small portions of the stalk of the same 
fruit the head and legs. With a little judg- 
ment in the selection of the pieces of stalk 
and the mode in which they are thrust into 
the body, it is surprising what a life-like 
tortoise may be thus produced. While the 
work of art in question is being handed 
round on a plate for admiration, the ar- 
tist may further distinguish himself, if the 
wherewithal is obtainable, by constructing 

THE LEMON PIG 

The body of the pig consists of a lemon. 
The shape of this fruit renders it particu- 
38 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 39 

larly well adapted for this purpose, the 
crease or shoulder at the small end of the 
lemon being just the right shape to form 
the head and neck of the pig. With three 
or four lemons to choose from, you can- 
not fail to find at least one which will an- 
swer the purpose exactly. The mouth and 
ears are made by cutting the ring with a 
penknife, the legs of short ends of lucifer 
matches, and the eyes either of black pins, 
thrust in up to the head, or grape stones. 



THE SEASICK PASSENGER 



The requirements for this touching pic- 
ture are an orange, a pocket handkerchief 
or soft table napkin, and a narrow water 
goblet. The orange is first prepared by 
cutting in the rind with a penknife the best 
ears, nose, and mouth which the artist can 
compass, a couple of raisin-pips supplying 
the place of eyes. A pocket handkerchief 
is stretched lightly over the glass, and the 
prepared orange laid thereon. The pocket- 
handkerchief is then moved gently back- 
ward and forward over the top of the 
glass, imparting to the orange a rolling 
motion, and affording a laughable but 
striking caricature of the agonies of a sea- 
sick passenger. 



40 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

THE ENCHANTED RAISINS 

Take four raisins or bread-pills, and 
place them about a foot apart, so as to 
form a square on the table. Next fold a 
couple of table-napkins, each into a pad 
of five inches square. Take one of these 
in each hand, the fingers undermost and 
the thumb uppermost. Then inform the 
company that you are about to give them 
a lesson in the art of hanky-panky, etc., 
and in the course of your remarks, bring 
down the two napkins carelessly over the 
two raisins farthest from you. Leave the 
right-hand napkin on the table, but, in 
withdrawing the hand, bring away the rai- 
sin between the second and third fingers, 
and at the same moment remarking, "You 
must watch particularly how many raisins 
I place under each napkin." Lift the left 
napkin (as if merely to show that there 
is one raisin only beneath it), and trans- 
fer it to the palm of the outstretched right 
hand, behind which the raisin is now con- 
cealed. Without any perceptible pause, 
but at the same time without any appear- 
ance of haste, replace the folded napkin 
on raisin No. 2, and in so doing, leave 
raisin No. i beside it. Now take up raisin 
No. 3 (with the right hand). Put the 
hand under the table, and in doing so get 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 41 

rasin No. 3 between the second and third 
fingers, as much behind the hand as possi- 
ble. Give a rap with the knuckles on the 
underside of the table, at the same time 
saying, "Pass !" and forthwith pick up the 
left-hand napkin with the left hand, show- 
ing the raisins 1 and 2 beneath it. All 
eyes are drawn to the two raisins on the 
table, and as the right hand comes into 
sight from beneath the table, the left quiet- 
ly transfers the napkin to it, thereby ef- 
fectually concealing the presence of raisin 
No. 3. The napkin is again laid over 
raisins 1 and 2, and No. 3 is secretly de- 
posited with them. No. 4 is then taken 
in the right hand, and the process re- 
peated, when three raisins are naturally 
discovered, the napkin being once more re- 
placed, and No. 4 left with the rest. There 
are now four raisins under the left-hand 
napkin, and none under that on the right 
hand, though the spectators are persuaded 
that there is one under the latter, and only 
three under the former. The trick being 
now practically over, the performer may 
please himself as to the form of the de- 
nouement, and, having gone through any 
appropriate form of incantation, commands 
the imaginary one to go and join the oth- 
er three, which is found to have taken 
place accordingly. 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 



THE DEMON LUMP OF SUGAR 

The performer commences by borrow- 
ing two hats, which he places, crowns up- 
ward, upon the table, drawing particular 
attention to the fact that there is nothing 
whatever under either of them. He next 
demands the loan of the family sugar ba- 
sin, and requests some one to select from 
it a lump of sugar (preferably one of an 
unusual and easily distinguished shape), 
at the same time informing them that, by 
means of a secret process, only known to 
himself, he will undertake to swallow such 
lump of sugar before their eyes, and yet, 
after a few minutes' interval, bring it un- 
der either of the two hats they may 
choose. The company, having been pre- 
pared by the last trick to expect some in- 
genious piece of sieight-ot-hand, are all on 
the qui vive to prevent any substitution of 
another lump of sugar, or any pretence of 
swallowing without actually doing so. 
However, the performer does unmistaka- 
bly take the identical lump of sugar chosen 
and crushes it to pieces with his teeth. He 
then asks, with unabated confidence, un- 
der which of the two hats he shall bring 
it, and, the choice having been made, 
places the chosen hat on his own head, and 
in that way fulfills his undertaking. 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 43 



THE MYSTERIOUS PRODUCTION 

This is another feat of the genus "sell/' 
and to produce due effect, should only be 
introduced after the performer has, by vir- 
tue of a little genuine magic, prepared the 
company to expect from him something a 
little out of the common. He begins by 
informing the spectators that he is about 
to show them a great mystery, a produc- 
tion of nature on which no human being 
has ever yet set eye, and which, when they 
have once seen, no human being will ever 
set eyes on again. When the general in- 
terest is sufficiently awakened, he takes a 
nut from the dish, and, having gravely 
cracked it, exhibits the kernel, and says, 
"Here is an object which you will admit 
no human being has ever seen, and which' , 
(here he puts it into his mouth and gravely 
swallows it) "I am quite sure nobody will 
ever see again." 

THE FAMILY GIANT 

A very fair giant, for domestic pur- 
poses, may be produced by the simple ex- 
pedient of seating a young lad astride on 
the shoulders of one of the older mem- 
bers of the company, and draping the com- 
bined figure with a long cloak or Inverness 



44, HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

cape. The "head" portion may, of course, 
be "made up" as much as you please, the 
more complete the disguise the more ef- 
fective being the giant. A ferocious-look- 
ing moustache and whiskers will greatly 
add to his appearance. If some ready-wit- 
ted member of the party will undertake 
to act as showman, and exhibit the giant, 
holding a lively conversation with him, and 
calling attention to his gigantic idiosyn- 
crasies, a great deal of fun may be pro- 
duced. The joke should not, however, be 
very long continued, as the feelings of the 
"legs" have to be considered. If too long 
deprived of air and light they are apt to 
wax rebellious, and either carry the giant 
in the directions he would fain avoid, or 
even occasionally to strike together, and 
bring the giant's days to a sudden and un- 
dignified termination. 



CHAPTER VI 

THE WHAT-DO-YOU-THINK ? KNIGHT OF 

THE WHISTLE "CAN DO LITTLE" 

THROWING LIGHT 

''THE WHAT-DO-YOU-THINK ?" 

The exhibitor begins, in proper show- 
man style : "Ladies and gentlemen, I have 
the pleasure of exhibiting to your notice 
the celebrated ' What-do-you-think ?' or 
Giant Uncle-Eater. You have all prob- 
ably heard of the Ant-Eater. This is, as 
you will readily perceive, a member of the 
same family, but more so! He measures 
seven feet from the tip of his snout to the 
end of his tail, eight feet back again, five 
feet around the small of his waist, and 
has four feet of his own, making twenty- 
four in all. In his natural state he lives 
chiefly on blue-bottle flies and mixed 
pickles, but in captivity it is found that so 
rich a diet has a tendency to make him 
stout, and he is now fed exclusively on 
old corks and back numbers of some daily 
paper. His voice, which you may perhaps 

45 



46 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

have an opportunity of hearing (here the 
" What-do-you-think ?" howls dismally), is 
in the key of B flat, and is greatly ad- 
mired. People come here before break- 
fast to hear it, and when they have heard 
it, they assure us that they never heard 
anything like it before. Some have even 
gone so far as to say that they never wish 
to hear anything like it again," etc. 

The "What-do-you-think?" is manufac- 
tured as follows : The performer, who 
should have black kid gloves on, places on 
his head a conical paper cap, worked up 
with the aid of the nursery paint box into 
a rough semblance of an animal's head. 
This being securely fastened on, he goes 
down on his hands and knees and a shaggy 
railway rug (of fur, if procurable) is 
thrown over him and secured round his 
neck, when the animal is complete. 

THE KNIGHT OF THE WHISTLE 

This is a capital game for everybody 
but the victim, and produces much fun. 
Some one who does not know the game 
is chosen to be Knight of the Whistle, and 
is commanded to kneel down and receive 
the honor of knighthood, which the leader 
(armed with a light cane, the drawing- 
room poker, or other substitute for a 
sword) confers by a slight stroke on the 
back. 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 47 

While placing him in position, oppor- 
tunity is taken to attach to his back, by 
means of a bent pin or otherwise, a piece 
of string about a foot in length, to which 
is appended a small light whistle. Hav- 
ing been duly dubbed, in order to complete 
his dignity, he is informed that he must 
now go in quest of the whistle, which will 
be sounded at intervals, in order to guide 
him in his search. Meanwhile the other 
players gather in a circle round him, ma- 
king believe to pass an imaginary object 
from hand to hand. The victim naturally 
believes that this imaginary object must 
be the long-lost whistle, and makes a dash 
for it accordingly, when the player who 
happens to be behind his back blows the 
actual whistle and instantly drops it again. 
Eound flies the unhappy knight, and makes 
a fresh dash to seize the whistle, but in 
vain. No sooner has he turned to a fresh 
quarter than the ubiquitous whistle again 
sounds behind his back. 

If the game is played smartly, and care 
taken not to pull the cord, the knight may 
often be kept revolving for a considerable 
period before he discovers the secret. 

"he can do little." 

This is another "sell" of almost child- 
ish simplicity, but we have seen people 



48 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

desperately puzzled over it, and even "give 
it up" in despair. 

The leader takes a stick (or poker) in 
his left hand, thence transfers it to his 
right, and thumps three times on the floor, 
saying: "He can do little who can't do 
this." He then hands the stick to another 
person, who, as he supposes, goes through 
exactly the same performance; but if he 
does not know the game, is generally told, 
to his disgust, that he has incurred a for- 
feit, his imitation not having been exact. 

The secret lies in the fact that the stick, 
when passed on, is first received in the 
left hand and thence transferred to the 
right before going through the perform- 
ance. 

"throwing light." 

Two of ithe company agree privately 
upon a word (which should be one sus- 
ceptible of two or three meanings), and in- 
terchange remarks tending to throw light 
upon it. The rest of the players do their 
best to guess the word, but when any of 
them fancies he has succeeded, he does not 
publicly announce his guess, but makes 
such a remark as to indicate to the two 
initiated that he has discovered their se- 
cret. If they have any doubt that he has 
really guessed the word, they challenge 



HOUSEHOLD GAME 3 49 

him, i.e., require him to name it in a whis- 
per. If this guess proves to be right, he 
joins in conversation, and assists in throw- 
ing light on the subject; but if, on the 
other hand, he is wrong, he must submit 
to have a handkerchief thrown over his 
head, and so remain until by some more 
fortunate observation he shall prove that 
he really possesses the secret. 

We will give an example. Mr. A. and 
Miss B. have agreed on "bed" as the 
word, and proceed to throw light upon it, 
alternating upon its various meanings of 
a place of repose, a part of a garden, or 
the bed of a river. 

Miss B. I don't know what your opin- 
ion may be, but I am never tired of it. 

Mr. A. Well, for my part, I am never 
in a hurry, either to get to it or to leave it. 

Miss B. How delightful it is after a 
long, tiring day! 

Mr. A. Yes. But it is a pleasure that 
soon palls. The most luxurious person 
does not care for too much of it at a 
stretch. 

Miss B. Oh, don't you think so In 
early spring, for instance, with the dew 
upon the flowers ! 

Mr. A. Ah ! you take the romantic 
view. But how would you like it beneath 
some rapid torrent or some broad majes- 
tic river? 



30 HOUSEHOLD GAMES 

Miss C. (thinks she sees her way, and 
hazards a lemark). Or in a sauce? 

Mr. A. I beg your pardon. Please tell 
me in a whisper what you suppose the 
word to be? 

Miss C. (whispers) Fish! What! isn't 
that right? 

Mr. A. I am afraid you must submit 
to a temporary eclipse. (Throws her 
handkerchief over her face.) 

Mr. A. to Miss B. You mentioned 
spring, I think. For my own part, I pre- 
fer feathers. 

Mr. D. (rashly concludes, from the 
combination of "spring" and "feathers," 
that spring chickens must be referred to). 
Surely you would have them plucked? 

Mr. A. (looks puzzled). I think not. 
May I ask you to name your guess? Oh, 
no, quite out. I must trouble 'you for 
your pocket handkerchief. 

Miss B. It is curious, isn't it, that they 
must be made afresh every day? 

Mr. A. So it is; though I confess it 
never struck me in that light before. I 
don't fancy, however, that old Brown, the 
gardener, makes his quite so often. 

Miss B. You may depend that he has 
it made for him, though. 

Miss C. (from under the handkerchief). 
At any rate, according as he makes it, his 



HOUSEHOLD GAMES 51 

fate will be affected accordingly. You 
know the proverb? 

Mr. A. (removing the handkerchief). 
You have fairly earned your release. By 
the way, do you remember an old paradox 
upon this subject, "What nobody cares to 
give away, yet nobody wishes to keep?" 

Miss E. Ah ! now you have let out the 
secret. I certainly don't wish to keep mine 
for long together, but I would willingly 
give it away if I could get a better. 

Miss B. Tell me your guess. (Miss 
E. whispers.) Yes, you have hit it. I 
was afraid Mr. A.'s last "light" was 
rather too strong. 

And so the game goes on, until every 
player is in the secret, or the few who 
may be still in the dark "give it up" and 
plead for mercy. This, however, is a rare 
occurrence, for, as the company in gen- 
eral become acquainted with the secret, the 
"lights" are flashed about in a rash and 
reckless manner, till the task of guessing 
becomes almost a matter of course to an 
ordinarily acute person. 



CHAPTER VII 

CHURCH AND SCHOOL SOCIALS 

CHARADES I "CICERO" "ATTENUATE" SUG- 
GESTED WORDS "METAPHYSICIAN" 

CHARADES ON THE GRECIAN 
ISLANDS 

ACTING CHARADES 

In some form or other the game of 
charades is played in almost every coun- 
try under the sun. In acting charades 
the characters and situation are made to 
represent a play upon a word or words by 
portraying some feature which vividly 
brings such word or words to the mind. 

Here is a popular one: 

Send one-half the company out of the 
room, into another which may be separ- 
ated by double doors; portieres are best 
for the purpose. The party in the inner 
room think of some word which can be 
represented entire, in pantomime or tab- 
leau, and proceed to enact it. After they 



SOCIALS 53 

have made up, the door opens, and dis- 
closes half a dozen girls standing in a line, 
while one of the acting party announces 
that this striking tableau represents the 
name of a famous orator. The others 
failing to guess are told that Cicero 
(Sissy-row) is the orator represented. 

Again, just as the clock strikes ten, the 
doors opening reveal a lady eating an 
apple or any convenient edible, while a 
gentleman who stands near points to the 
clock and then at her. This being cor- 
rectly guessed to represent "attenuate" (at 
ten you ate), the other side goes from the 
room and the previous performers become 
the audience. 

There are a host of words which with a 
little ingenuity may be turned to account. 
For example: 

Ingratiate. (In gray she ate.) 

Catering. (Kate. Her ring.) 

Hero. (He row.) 

Tennessee. (Ten, I see.) The follow- 
ing are also good charade words : Knight- 
hood, penitent, looking-glass, hornpipe, 
necklace, indolent, lighthouse, Hamlet, 
pantry, phantom, windfall, sweepstake, 
sackcloth, antidote, antimony, pearl powd- 
er, kingfisher, football, housekeeping, in- 
fancy, snowball, definite, bowstring, car- 
pet, Sunday, Shylock, earwig, matrimony, 
cowhiding, welcome, friendship, horse- 



54 SOCIALS 

manship, coltsfoot, bridegroom, housemaid, 
curl-papers, crumpet. 

We will take the word "windfall," as 
affording a ready illustration of the pan- 
tomime charade. "Wind" may be repre- 
sented by a German band, puffing away 
at imaginary ophicleides and trombones, 
with distended cheeks and frantic energy, 
though in perfect silence. "Fall" may be 
portrayed by an elderly gentleman with 
umbrella up, who walks unsuspectingly on 
an ice slide and falls. The complete word 
"windfall" may be represented by a young 
man sitting alone, leaning his elbows on his 
hands, and having every appearance of be- 
ing in the last stage of impecuniosity. To 
produce this effect, he may go through a 
pantomime of examining his purse and 
showing it empty, searching his pockets 
and turning them one by one inside out, 
shaking his head mournfully and sitting 
down again, throwing into his expression 
as much despair as he conveniently can. 
A letter carrier's whistle is heard; a ser- 
vant enters with a legal-looking letter. 
The impecunious hero, tearing it open, 
produces from it a roll of stage banknotes, 
and forthwith gives way to demonstrations 
of the most extravagant delight, upon 
which the curtain falls. 

In another the curtain rises (i.e., the 
folding-doors are thrown open), and a 



SOCIALS 55 

placard is seen denoting, "This is Madi- 
son Square/' or any other place where 
professional men congregate. Two gen- 
tlemen in out-door costumes cross the stage 
from opposite sides and bow gravely on 
passing each other, one of them saying, as 
they do so, "Good morning, doctor." The 
curtain falls, and the audience are in- 
formed that the charade, which represents 
a word of six syllables, is complete in that 
scene. When the spectators have guessed 
or been told that the word is "met-a-phy- 
sician," the curtain again rises on pre- 
cisely the same scene, and the same per- 
formance, action for action, and word for 
word, is repeated over again. The audi- 
ence hazard the same word "metaphysi- 
cian" as the answer, but are informed that 
they are wrong — the word now repre- 
sented having only three syllables, and 
they ultimately discover that the word is 
"metaphor" (met afore). 

In another charade is seen a little toy 
wooden horse, such as can be bought for 
fifty cents. The spectators are told that 
this forms a word of two syllables, repre- 
senting an island in the Aegean Sea. If 
the spectators are well up in ancient geog- 
raphy, they may possibly guess that De- 
los (deal hoss) is referred to. The cur- 
tain falls, and again rises on the same 
contemptible object, which is now stated 



56 SOCIALS 

to represent a second island in the same 
part of the world. The classical reader 
will at once see that Samos (same hoss) 
is intended. Again the curtain rises on 
the representation of an island. Two little 
wooden horses now occupy the scene, 
Pharos (pair 'oss) being the island re- 
ferred to. Once more the curtain rises, 
this time on a group of charming dam- 
sels, each reclining in a woebegone atti- 
tude, surrounded by pill boxes and physic 
bottles, and apparently suffering from 
some painful malady. This scene repre- 
sents a word of three syllables, and is 
stated to include all that has gone before. 
Cyclades (sick ladies), the name of the 
group to which Delos, Samos and Pharos 
belong, is of course the answer. 

A comical charade is a performance rep- 
resenting the word "imitation." The spec- 
tators are informed that the charade about 
to be performed can be exhibited to only 
one person at a time. One person is ac- 
cordingly admitted into the room in which 
the actors are congregated. The unhappy 
wight stares about him with curiosity, not 
unmingled with apprehension, fearing to 
be made the victim of some practical joke; 
nor is his comfort increased by finding that 
his every look or action is faithfully copied 
by each person present. This continues 
until he has either guessed or given up the 



SOCIALS 57 

word, when a fresh victim is admitted, 
and the new initiate becomes in turn one 
of the actors. Sometimes, however, the 
victim manages to turn the laugh against 
his persecutors. We have known a young 
lady, seeing through the joke, quietly take 
a chair and remain motionless, reducing 
the matter to a simple trial of patience be- 
tween herself and the company. 



CHAPTER VIII 

CHURCH AND SCHOOL SOCIALS 

LIVING PICTURES TABLEAUX! DIGNITY AND 

IMPUDENCE SAILOR'S FAREWELL HOME 

AGAIN VARIOUS TABLEAUX 

LIVING PICTURES 

There are few better amusements for a 
large party in the same house, with plenty 
of time on their hands, than the organiza- 
tion of tableaux vivants, or living repre- 
sentations. Tableaux, to be successfully 
represented, demand quite as much atten- 
tion to detail as a theatrical performance, 
and scarcely less careful rehearsal. The 
first element of success is a competent 
stage manager. His artistic taste should 
be beyond all question, and his will should 
be law among the members of his corps. 
The essentials of a "living picture" are 
very much the same as those of a picture 
of the inanimate description, viz., form, 
color and arrangement. If, therefore, you 
58 



SOCIALS 59 

can secure for the office of stage manager 
a gentleman of some artistic skill, by all 
means do so, as his technical knowledge 
will be found of the greatest possible 
service. 

Before proceeding to plan your series of 
pictures, it will be necessary to provide the 
"frame' 5 in which they are to be exhibited. 
If the room which you propose to use has 
folding doors, they will of course be used. 
A curtain, preferably of some dark color, 
should be hung on each side, and a lam- 
brequin or valance across the top. Where 
circumstances admit, the directions we 
give elsewhere as to the construction of a 
stage and proscenium for private theatri- 
cals may be followed with advantage. In 
any case, a piece of fine gauze should be 
carefully stretched over the whole length 
and depth of the opening. This is found, 
by producing softer outlines, materially to 
enhance the pictorial effect. If it is prac- 
ticable to have a raised stage, it will be 
found of great addition. Where this can- 
not be arranged, it is well to place a board, 
six inches in width, and covered with the 
same material as the rest of the frame, 
across the floor (on edge) from side to 
side, in the position which the footlights 
would ordinarily occupy. 

The next consideration will be the cur- 
tain. The ordinary domestic curtains, 



60 SOCIALS 

hung by rings from a rod or pole, and 
opening in the middle, will serve as a 
makeshift ; but where a really artistic ser- 
ies of tableaux is contemplated, the regu- 
lar stage curtain of green baize is decided- 
ly to be preferred. 

The question of "background" will be 
the next point to be considered. Tab- 
leaux vivants may be divided into two 
classes, the dramatic, i.e., representing 
some incident, e.g., a duel, or a trial in a 
court of justice, and the simply artistic, 
viz., such as portray merely a group, al- 
legorical or otherwise, without reference 
to any particular plot or story. For the 
former, an appropriate scene is required, 
varying with each tableau represented ; for 
the latter, all that is necessary is a simple 
"background of drapery, of such a tone of 
color as to harmonize jwith, and yet to 
give full prominence to, the group of 
actors. The material of the latte. as also 
the covering of the floor, should be of 
w r oolen or velvet, so as to absorb rather, 
than reflect light. A lustrous background, 
as of satin or glazed calico, will completely 
destroy the effect of an otherwise effective 
tableau. 

The lighting is a point of very con- 
siderable importance — the conditions ap- 
propriate to an ordinary theatrical per- 
formance being here reversed. In an or- 



SOCIALS 61 

dinary dramatic performance all shadow is 
a thing to be avoided, the point aimed at 
being to secure a strong bright light, uni- 
formly distributed over the stage. In a 
tableau vizwit, on the contrary, the skill- 
ful manipulation of light and shade is a 
valuable aid in producing artistic effect. 
Footlights should, in this case, either be 
dispensed with altogether or at any rate 
used very sparingly, the stronger light 
coming from one or the other side. A 
good deal of experiment and some little 
artistic taste will be necessary to attain the 
right balance in this particular. Where 
gas is available it will afford the readiest 
means of illumination. What is called a 
"string light," viz., a piece of gaspipe with 
fishtail burners at frequent intervals, con- 
nected with the pennanent gas arrange- 
ments of the house by a piece of india 
rubber tube, and fixed in a vertical posi- 
tion behind each side of the temporary 
proscenium, will be found very effective; 
one or the other set of lights being turned 
up, as may be necessary. Where a green 
or red light is desired, the interposition of 
a strip of glass of that color, or of a "me- 
dium" of red or green silk or tammy, will 
give the necessary tone. Colored fires are 
supplied for the same purpose, but are 
subject to the drawback of being some- 
what odoriferous in combustion. Where, 



62 SOCIALS 

as is sometimes the case, a strong white 
light is required, this may be produced by- 
burning the end of a piece of magnesium 
wire in the flame of an ordinary candle. 

These points being disposed of, costume 
and make-up will be the next consider- 
ation. As to the latter, the reader will 
nnd full instructions in the chapter devoted 
to private theatricals. With respect to cos- 
tume, as the characters are seen for only 
a few moments, and in one position, this 
point may be dealt with in a much more 
rough-and-ready manner than would be 
advisable in the case of a regular dram- 
atic performance. The royal crown need 
only be golden, the royal robe need only be ' 
trimmed with ermine — on the side toward 
the spectators; indeed, the proudest of 
sovereigns, from the audience point of 
view, may, as seen from the rear, be the 
humblest of citizens. Even on the side 
toward the spectators a great deal of 
"make believe" is admissible. Seen 
through the intervening gauze, the cheap- 
est cotton velvet is equal to the richest 
silk ; glazed calico takes the place of satin ; 
and even the royal ermine may be admir- 
ably simulated by tails of black worsted 
stitched on a ground of flannel. Lace may 
be manufactured from cut paper, and a 
dollar's worth of tinsel will afford jewels 
for a congress of sovereigns. Of course, 



SOCIALS 63 

there is not the least objection to his wear- 
ing a crown of the purest gold, or dia- 
monds of the finest possible water (if he 
can get them), but they will not look one 
whit more effective than the homely sub- 
stitutes we have mentioned. 

A "ghost effect" may, where necessary, 
be produced by the aid of a magic lantern; 
the other lights of the tableau being low- 
ered in order to give sufficient distinctness 
to the reflection. 

Dramatic tableaux may often be ex- 
hibited with advantage in two or more 
"scenes" ; the curtain being lowered for a 
moment in order to enable the characters 
to assume a fresh position. Examples of 
this will be found among the tableaux 
which follow. 

Having indicated the general arrange- 
ments of tableaux vivants, we append, for 
the reader's assistance, a selection of effec- 
tive subjects, both simply pictorial and 
dramatic. 

I. DIGNITY AND IMPUDENCE. 

(With background of plain drapery, re- 
maining unchanged.) 

A magnificent flunkey, in a gorgeous 
suit of livery, standing, with left hand on 
hip, right hand in breast, side by side with 
a very small and saucy "boy in buttons," 



64 SOCIALS 

upon whom he looks down superciliously. 
Boy with both hands in trouser pockets 
and gazing up at his companion with an 
expression of impertinent familiarity. 

II. THE FORTUNE-TELLER 

A pretty girl, in simple outdoor cos- 
tume, standing sideways to the spectators, 
with downcast eyes and a half-smiling, 
half-frightened expression. The fortune- 
teller faces her and holds the young lady's 
right hand in her left, while her own right 
hand holds a coin with which she is appar- 
ently tracing the lines of the young lady's 
palm, at the same time gazing with an 
arch expression into her face, as though 
to note the effect of her predictions. The 
fortune-teller should be in gipsy costume, 
a short, dark skirt and a hood of some 
brighter material thrown carelessly over 
her head. She should be of a swarthy 
complexion, with a good deal of color and 
jet-black hair. 



A large cross, apparently of white mar- 
ble (really of deal, well washed with whit- 
ening and size) occupies a diagonal po- 
sition across the center of the stage, 
facing slightly toward the left. Its base 



SOCIALS 65 

or plinth is formed of two or three suc- 
cessive platforms or steps of the same ma- 
terial. At the foot a woman kneels, clasp- 
ing her arms around the cross, as though 
she had just thrown herself into that po- 
sition in escaping from some danger. Her 
gaze should be directed upward. A loose 
brown robe and hood, the latter thrown 
back off the head, will be the most appro- 
priate costume. Magnesium light from 
above. 

IV. HOPE 

A female figure, clothed in sober gray, 
and seated on a very low stool, facing 
right and gazing heavenward. (If a "sky" 
background is procurable, a single star 
should be visible, and should be the ob- 
ject of her gaze.) Her right elbow rests 
upon her right knee, and her right hand 
supports her chin. Her left hand hangs 
by her side, and at her feet lies the em- 
blematic anchor. Red light, not too strong. 



A ragged boy, barefooted and clasping 
a wornout broom, sits huddled on the 
ground left, but facing right. His arms 
are folded and rest on his knees, and his 
head is bent down upon them, so as to 
hide his face. A girl, in nun's costume, is 



6G SOCIALS 

touching him on the shoulder, and appar- 
ently proffering help and sympathy. 

VI. SINGLE LIFE 

Scene, a tolerably well-furnished but un- 
tidy sitting-room, with numerous traces of 
bachelor occupation, such as crossed foils 
on the wall, a set of boxing-gloves under 
a side table, boots, hats and walking-sticks 
lying about in various directions. On one 
corner of the table some one has appar- 
ently breakfasted in rather higgledy-pig- 
gledy fashion. Near the table sits a young 
man, with a short pipe in his mouth and 
one foot bare, while he is endeavoring to 
darn an extremely dilapidated sock. 

VII. THE SAILOR'S FAREWELL 

Scene, a cottage home. A young man, 
in sailor costume and with a bundle on his 
shoulder, stands with his right hand on 
the latch of the door, right center, but 
looking back with a sorrowful expression 
at his wife — personated by a young lady 
in short black or blue skirt, red or white 
blouse, and white mob-cap — who sits with 
her apron up to her eyes in an apparent 
agony of grief. Three children are pres- 
ent, the two elder crying for sympathy, the 
youngest sitting in a crib or cradle and 



SOCIALS 67 

amusing himself with some toy, in appar- 
ent unconsciousness of his father's ap- 
proaching departure. Soft blue light from 
left. Music, 'The Minstrel Boy." 

VIII. HOME AGAIN. 

The same scene. Children a couple of 
years older. (This may be effected by 
suppressing the youngest and introducing 
a fresh eldest, as much like the others as 
possible.) The sailor of the last scene, 
slightly more tanned, and with a fuller 
"made-up" beard, has apparently just en- 
tered. The wife has both arms round his 
neck, her face being hidden in his bosom. 
Of the children, the eldest has seized and 
is kissing her father's hand, while the two 
younger each cling round one leg. Soft 
red light. Music, "A Lass that Loves a 
Sailor," or "When Johnny Comes March- 
ing Home Again." 

VARIOUS TABLEAUX 

We subjoin a list of favorite subjects, 
leaving their actual arrangement to the 
taste and intelligence of the reader. It 
will usually be safe to follow the hints in 
good illustrations. 

"Choosing the Wedding Gown." A 



68 SOCIALS 

charming scene after Mulready, from the 
"Vicar of Wakefield." 

"William Penn Signing the Treaty with 
the Indians." 

"The Drunkard's Home," "Signing the 
Pledge," "The Temperance Home." See 
some good illustrations. 

"Mary Queen of Scots and the Four 
Maries." 

"Mr. Pecksniff Dismissing Tom Pinch." 

"The Song of the Shirt." 

"Little Red Riding-Hood." 

"The Duel from the 'Corsican Broth- 
ers. 

"Heloise in Her Cell." 

"William Tell Shooting the Apple From 
His Son's Head," etc., etc., etc. 



CHAPTER IX. 

CHURCH AND SCHOOL SOCIALS 

WAX WORKS GALLERY! MRS. JARLEY's COL- 
LECTION CHINESE GIANT TWO-HEAD- 
ED GIRL CAPTAIN KIDD CELE- 
BRATED DWARF YANKEE 

CANNIBAL, ETC. 

The idea is that of a waxwork exhibi- 
tion, the characters being personated, after 
a burlesque fashion, by living performers. 
Each "figure" is first duly described by 
the exhibitor, and then "wound up" and 
made to go through certain characteristic 
movements. 

The collection is supposed to be that of 
the far-famed Mrs. Jarley, of "Old Curi- 
osity Shop" celebrity. She may be as- 
sisted, if thought desirable, bv "Little 
Nell" and a couple of manservants, John 
and Peter. The costume of Airs. Jarley 
is a black or chintz dress, bright shawl and 
huge bonnet; that of Little Nell may be a 
calico dress and white apron, with hat 
slung over her arm. John and Peter may 
be dressed in livery suits, and should be 
69 



70 SOCIALS 

provided with watchman's rattle, screw- 
driver, hammer, nails and oil-can. At the 
rise of the curtain the figures are seen 
ranged in a semicircle at the back of the 
stage, and Little Nell is discovered dust- 
ing them with a long feather brush. Mrs. 
Jarley stands in front, and delivers her 
descriptive orations, directing her men to 
bring forward each figure before she de- 
scribes it. After having been duly de- 
scribed, the figure is ''wound" up, and goes 
through its peculiar movement, and when 
it stops it is moved back to its place. 

If the stage is small, or it is desired that 
the same actors shall appear in various 
characters in succession, the figures may 
be exhibited in successive groups or com- 
partments, the curtain being lowered to 
permit one party to retire and another to 
take their places. After the whole of the 
figures of a given chamber have been de- 
scribed, the assistants wind them all up, 
and they go through their various move- 
ments simultaneously, to a pianoforte ac- 
companiment, which should gradually go 
faster, coming at last to a sudden stop, 
when the figures become motionless and 
the curtain falls. 

Mrs. Jarley may be made a silent charac- 
ter, sitting on one side, and occasionally 
making believe to dust or arrange a figure, 
while the "patter" is delivered by a male 



SOCIALS 71 

exhibitor. Or Mrs. Jarley may, if pre- 
ferred, be suppressed altogether, and the 
exhibitor appear as (say) Artemus Ward, 
or in ordinary evening costume, without 
assuming any special character. A good 
deal of fun may be made of the supposed 
tendency of any particular figure to tip 
over, and the application, by John and 
Peter, of wooden wedges, penny pieces, 
etc., under its feet to keep it upright. Sup- 
posed defective working, causing the fig- 
ure to stop suddenly in the middle of its 
movements, and involving the rewinding 
or oiling of its internal mechanism, will 
also produce a good deal of amusement. 
The "winding up" may be done with a bed- 
winch, a bottle- jack key, or the winch of 
a kitchen range, the click of the mechan- 
ism being imitated by means of a watch- 
man's rattle, or by the even simpler expe- 
dient of drawing a piece of hard wood 
smartly along a notched stick. (This, of 
course, should be done out of sight of the 
audience.) The movement of the figure 
should be accompanied by the piano, to a 
slow or lively measure, as may be most 
appropriate. 

The arrangement being complete and the 
curtain raised, Mrs. Jarley delivers her 
opening speech, about as follows : 

"Ladies and gentlemen, you here behold 
Mrs. Jarley, one of the most remarkable 



72 SOCIALS 

women of the world, who has traveled all 
over the country with her curious Collec- 
tion of Waxworks. These figures have 
been gathered, at great expense, from 
every clime and country, and are here 
shown together for the first time. I shall 
describe each one of them for your benefit, 
and, after I have given you their history, 
I shall have each one of them wound up, 
for they are all fitted with clockwork in- 
side, and they can thus go through the 
same motions they did when living. In 
fact, they execute their movements so 
naturally that many people have supposed 
them to be alive ; but I assure you that 
they are all made of wood and wax — 
blockheads every one. 

"Without further prelude, I shall now 
introduce to your notice each one of my 
figures, beginning, as usual, with the last 
one first." 

I. THE CHINESE GIANT 

A MAN OR WOMAN STANDING ON A HIGH 
STOOL, CHINTZ SKIRT AROUND THE 
WAIST, LONG ENOUGH TO HIDE 
THE STOOL, CHINESE OVER- 
DRESS, HAT, PIG-TAIL 
AND MOUSTACHE 

"This figure is universally allowed to be 
the tallest figure in my collection ; he orig- 



SOCIALS 73 

inated in the two provinces of Oolong and 
Shanghi, one province not being long 
enough to produce him. On account of 
his extreme length it is impossible to give 
any adequate idea of him in one enter- 
tainment, consequently he will be continued 
in our next. 

"He was the inventor, projector and dis- 
coverer of Niagara Falls, Bunker's Hill 
Monument and the Balm of Columbia. In 
fact, everything was originally discovered 
by him or some other of the Chinese. The 
portrait of this person, who was a high 
dignitary among them, may be often seen 
depicted on a blue china plate, standing 
upon a bridge, which leans upon nothing, 
at either end, and intently observing two 
birds which are behind him in the dis- 
tance. 

"John, wind up the Giant." 

The Giant bows low, then wags his head 
three times and bows as before, and after 
a dozen motions slowly stops. 

"You will observe that I have spared no 
expense in procuring wonders of every 
sort, and here is my crowning effort or 
masterpiece " 

II. THE TW r O-HEADED GIRL 

"A remarkable freak of nature, which 
impresses the beholder with silent awe. 



74 SOCIALS 

Observe the two heads and one body. See 
these fair faces, each one lovelier than the 
other. No one can gaze upon them with- 
out a double sensation 'of sorrow and of 
joy' — sorrow that such beauty and grace 
were ever united, and joy that he has had 
the pleasure of contemplating their union. 

"Wind them up, Peter." 

This figure is made by two young ladies 
standing back to back, wrapped in one 
large skirt. They hold their arms out, 
with their hands hanging, and slowly re- 
volve when they are wound up. 

III. THE SEWING-WOMAN 

"John, bring out the Sewing-Woman, 
and let the ladies behold the unfortunate 
seamstress who died from pricking her 
finger with a needle while sewing on Sun- 
day. You see that the work which she 
holds is stained with gore, which drips 
from her finger onto the floor. (Which 
is poetry!) This forms a sad and melan- 
choly warning to all heads of families im- 
mediately to purchase the best sewing-ma- 
chines, for this accident never could have 
happened had she not been without one of 
those excellent machines, such as no family 
should be without." 

Costume : Optional. 

When wound up, the figure sews very 
stiffly and stops slowly. 



SOCIALS 75 



IV. CAPTAIN KIDD AND HIS VICTIM 

"Ladies and Gentlemen : Permit me to 
call your attention to this beautiful group, 
which has lately been added, at an enor- 
mous expense, to my collection. You here 
behold the first privateer and the first vic- 
tim of his murderous propensities. Cap- 
tain Kidd, the robber of the main, is sup- 
posed to have originated somewhere down 
east. His whole life being spent upon the 
stormy deep, he amassed* an immense for- 
tune, and buried it in the sand along the 
flower-clad banks of Cape Cod, by which 
course he invented the savings banks, now 
so common along shore. Having hidden 
away so much property, which, like so 
many modern investments, never can be 
unearthed, he v/as known as a great sea- 
creiur. Before him kneels his lovely and 
innocent victim, the Lady Blousabella In- 
fantina, who was several times taken and 
murdered by this bloodthirsty tyrant, which 
accounts for the calm look of resignation 
depicted upon her lovely countenance. 

"Wind 'em up, John." 

Costumes: Captain Kidd — white panta- 
loons, blue shirt, sailor hat, pistol and 
sword. 

Victim — Lady with flowing hair, white 
dress. 



76 SOCIALS 

Movement — The captain's sword moves 
up and down, and the victim's arms go in 
unison. 

V. THE SIAMESE TWINS 

Two gentlemen dressed alike in ordi- 
nary costume, with a large bone (attached 
by wire or string) between them. One 
arm of each over the other's neck. Pug- 
nacious expression of countenance. 

"The wonderful Siamese Twins com- 
pose the next group. These remarkable 
brothers lived together in the greatest har- 
mony, though there was always a bone of 
contention between them. They were 
never seen apart, such was their brotherly 
fondness. They married young, both be- 
ing opposed to a single life. The short one 
is not quite so tall as his brother, although 
their ages are about the same. One of 
them was born in the Island of Borneo, 
the other on the southern extremity of 
Cape Cod." 

When wound up they begin to fight, 
continue for a moment and stop suddenly. 

VI. THE CELEBRATED DWARF 

BOY WITH RED CLOAK, LONG WHITE WIG, 
BOWL AND SPOON 

"This wonderful child has created some 
interest in the medical and scientific world, 



socials n 

from the fact that he was thirteen years 
old when he was born, and kept on grow- 
ing older and older until he died, at the 
somewhat advanced age of two hundred 
and ninety-seven, in consequence of eating 
too freely of pies and cakes, his favorite 
food. He measured exactly two feet and 
seven inches from the crown of his head 
to the sole of his foot, and two feet and 
ten inches back again. Was first discov- 
ered ten miles from any land and twelve 
miles from any water, making the enor- 
mous total of ninety-one, which figure was 
never before reached by any previous ex- 
hibition. Wind him up, John." 

Dwarf eats very stiffly with a large spoon 
in his right hand ; in his left hand he holds 
a bowl, which falls en the floor after a 
moment and is broken. 

"John, get your tools and screw up that 
dwarf's hand, for it has become so loose 
that it costs a fortune for the crockery he 
breaks." 

John screws up the hand, gets a new 
bowl, and again winds up the figure, which 
now moves with much greater energy. 

VII. THE VOCALIST 

"Bring out the Vocalist. I now call your 
attention to the most costly of all my fig- 
ures. This wonderful automaton singer 



78 SOCIALS 

represents Signorina Squallini, the unri- 
valed vocalist, whose notes are current in 
every market, and sway all hearts at her 
own sweet will. 

"Wind her up and let her liquid notes 
pour forth." 

She gesticulates wildly, and sings a few 
notes in a very extravagant manner, then 
stops with a hoarse sound. 

Mrs. J. : "John, this figure needs oiling. 
Why do you not attend to your duties bet- 
ter?" 

John gets oilcan, which he applies to 
each ear of the figure, which strikes a high 
note and sings with much expression and 
many trills, then makes a gurgling sound, 
as if running down, and suddenly stops 
again. 

Costume: Evening dress. 

VIII. THE YANKEE 

Description : A tall, thin man, clean 
shaven, but for a tuft on chin, dressed in 
black, with broad-brimmed straw hat. He 
is seated on a low rocking-chair, with his 
legs resting on the back of another chair. 
He holds a wooden stick, which he is 
whittling with a jackknife. 

"You here behold a specimen of our ir- 
repressible, indomitable native Yankee, 
who has been everywhere, seen everything 



SOCIALS 79 

and knows everything. He has explored 
the arid jungles of Africa, drawn forth 
the spotted cobra by his prehensile tail, 
snowballed the Russian bear on the snowy 
slopes of Alpine forests, and sold wooden 
nutmegs to the unsuspecting innocents of 
Patagonia. He has peddled patent medi- 
cines in the Desert of Sahara, and hung 
his hat and carved his name on the ex- 
treme top of the North Pole. The only 
difficulty I find in describing him is that I 
cannot tell what he cannot do. I will 
therefore set him in motion, as he hates 
to be quiet." 

When wound up he pushes his hat back 
on his head and begins to whittle. 

IX. THE CANNIBAL 

"Here you behold a curious cannibal 
from the Feejee Islands, first discovered 
by Captain Cook, who came very near 
being cooked by him. In that case, the 
worthy captain would never have com- 
pleted his celebrated voyage round the 
world. This individual was greatly in- 
terested in the cause of foreign missions. 
Indeed, he received the missionaries gladly 
and gave them a place near his heart. He 
was finally converted by a very tough 
tract-distributor, who had been brought up 
in a Bloomsbury boarding-house, and was 



80 SOCIALS 

induced to become civilized. One of his 
evidences of a change of life was shown 
by his statement that he now had but one 
wife, like the English. 'What have you 
done with the other twelve which you said 
you had a month ago?' asked the tract dis- 
tributor. 'Oh, I have eaten them !' replied 
the gentle savage. This cannibal was very 
fond of children, especially those of a 
tender age; he holds in his hand a war- 
club, with which he prepared his daily 
meals, also a warwhoop, which is an orig- 
inal one." 

Costume : Brown jersey and drawers, 
face and hands colored to match, very 
short skirt, feather headdress, large rings 
in nose and ears. One hand holds a war- 
club, the other a child's hoop. 

Movement: When wound up he bran- 
dishes his club and raises hoop to his 
mouth. 

X. BABES IN THE WOOD 

Two men, the bigger the better, one 
dressed as a very small boy, the other as 
a little girl ; each holds a penny bun. 

"In the next group you behold the Babes 
in the Wood, who had the misfortune to 
have an uncle. This wicked man hired a 
villain to carry these babes away into the 
wood and leave them to wander until death 
put an end to their sorrow, and the little 



SOCIALS 81 

robins covered them up with leaves. These 
lifelike figures represent the children just 
after taking their. leaves of the villain. By 
a master stroke of genius the artist has 
shown very delicately that human nature 
is not utterly depraved, for the villain has 
placed in the hand of each of the innocents 
a penny bun as a parting present. I have 
been often asked 'why I did not have a 
figure of the villain also added to the 
group?' but my reply always is, 'Villains 
are too common to be any curiosity.' 

"Wind 'em up, John." 

Each Babe offers to the other a bite of 
bun alternately. 

XI. LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD 

A young lady carrying a basket on her 
arm. Costume in accordance with the 
story. 

"Here you behold Little Red Riding- 
Hood, a model of grand filial devotion, for 
she was so fond of her granny that she 
wandered through the forest to take the 
old lady's luncheon, and was eaten by the 
wolf for so doing, which is a warning to 
all children to be careful how they do 
much for their grandmothers, unless they 
are rich and can leave them something in 
their wills. This personage was an es- 
pecial favorite with children, who love to 



82 SOCIALS 

read about her, and shed tears over her 
unhappy fate, although some of them think 
that had she been as smart as her dress, 
she would have been too smart to have 
mistaken the wolf for her grandmother, 
unless she had been a very homely old 
lady, or he had been much better looking 
than most wolves." 

When wound up, the figure curtseys and 
holds out her basket. 

XII. LADY WITH GOLDEN LOCKS 

Young lady with long hair, flowing over 
her shoulders, holds bottle (labelled Mrs. 
Blank's Hair Restorer) and curling-tongs. 

"This is one of the most expensive of 
my costly collection, for blonde hair is 
very high, and you see how heavy and 
long are the golden locks which adorn her 
beautiful face. I cannot pass this figure 
without saying a few words in praise of 
the wonderful hair restorer, for this im- 
age had grown so bald from the effect of 
long journeys by road or rail that she was 
exhibited for two years as the Old Man 
of the Mountain. One bottle of this won- 
derful fluid, however, restored her hair to 
its present growth and beauty, and a little 
of the fluid being accidentally spilled upon 
the pine box in which the figure was car- 
ried, it immediately became an excellent 
hair trunk." 



CHAPTER X. 



ART EXHIBITIONS — LIST OF EXHIBITORS 

"ARTISTS" — CURIOSITIES — EXPLANA- 
TIONS SUGGESTIONS 

"ART" EXHIBITION 

The elaborate "sell" which goes by this 
name used to be a regular institution in 
church bazaars and might well be reju- 
venated as a novelty. 

A regular printed catalogue is got up, 
containing apparently the names of a col- 
lection of pictures or sculptures, each ob- 
ject duly numbered and with the name of 
the artist appended. In some instances the 
name of a (supposed) picture is followed 
by an appropriate quotation in poetry or 
prose, after the orthodox fashion of art 
galleries. We append, by way of illustra- 
tion, a selection from the catalogue of a 
collection which has met with great suc- 
cess : 

83 



84 SOCIALS 



EXHIBITION OF THE WORKS OF LIVING 
ARTISTS 



WORKS OF ART 

1. Horse Fair 

After Rosa Bonheur. 

2. A Brush With a Cutter Off Deal 

Carpenter. 

3. Caught in a Squall Off Yarmouth 

Fisher. 

4. The Last of Poor Dog Tray 

Barker. 

5. "He Will Return, I Know He Will" 

Lent by the Trustees of the Parish. 

6. The Midnight Hour. C. Lock. 

7. Heroes of Waterloo. Schumacher. 

8. True to the Core. C. Odling. 

9. "Spring, Spring, Beautiful Spring !" 

Mayne. 

10. "Tears, Idle Tears." Strong. 

11. The Midnight Assassin. F. Sharpe. 

12. The Dripping Well. T. Inman. 

13. Family Jars. Potter. 

14. Never Too Late to Mend. S. Titch. 

15. Past Healing. Kobler. 

16. The First Sorrow. Smalchild. 

17. Saved. S. Kinflint 

18. Lost 

19. First Love. Sweet. 



SOCIALS 85 

20. The Death of the Camel. 

After Goodall. 

21. His First Cigar. A. Young. 

22. A Good Fellow Gone. M. I. Slade. 

23. Portrait of a Gentleman. Anonymous. 

24. Portrait of a Lady. Anonymous. 
" 25. Our Churchwardens. Screw. 

26. Portraits of the Reigning Sovereigns 
of Europe. (Taken by special order). 

G. P. O. 

27. Waifs of Ocean. Fish. 

"Strange things come up to look at us, 
The Monsters of the deep." 

28. The Last Man. Unknown. 

29. Contribution from the Celebrated 
Sheepshanks Collection. 

Butcher. 

30. The Light of Other Days. Dimm. 

31. The Meet of Her Majesty's Hounds. 

Pratt. 

32. Water Scene. 

"And I hear 
Those waters rolling from the mountain springs 
With a sweet inland murmur." 

33. The Maiden's Joy. Bachelor. 

34. The Fall. Adam 

35. Motherhood. 

"She laid it where the sunbeams fall 
Un scanned upon the broken wall, 
Without a tear, without a groan, 



86 SOCIALS 

She laid it near a might}' stone 

Which some rude swain had haply cast 

Thither in sports, long ages past. 

There in its cool and quiet bed, 

She set her burden down and fled ; 

Nor flung, all eager to escape, 

One glance upon the perfect shape 

That lay, still warm and fresh and fair, 

But motionless and soundless there." 

— C. S. Calverley. 

36. A Friendly Party on Hampstead 
Heath. Moke. 

37. Borrowed Plumes. Wigg. 

38. Out for the Night, Anonymous. 

39. Something to Adore. Anonymous. 

40. The Wearied Grinder. Mayne Force. 
"Change and decay in all around I see." 

41. Repentance. G. Templar. 

42. Maggie's Secret. Rossetter. 

43. Somebody's Luggage. S. Canty. 

44. Eusebius. B. Linkers. 

45. Happy Childhood. Wackford Squeers. 

46. Not Such a Fool as He Looks. 

The Exhibitor. 



CURIOSITIES 

47. A Choice Collection of Old China. 

48. A Fine Specimen of Local Quartz 

Discovered in the Possession of a 
Workman During the Building of 
the New Town Hall. 



SOCIALS 87 

49. The Skull of the Last of the Mohicans. 

50. A Marble Group. 

51. Bust. 

52. The Puzzle. 

53. The Instantaneous Kid Reviver. 

54. The Earnest Entreaty. 

EXPLANATION 

Anyone not in the secret, perusing the 
above catalogue, would naturally conclude 
that the descriptions referred to pictorial 
art of some kind or other. But such is by 
no means the case. The visitor, on being 
admitted, finds, in place of the expected 
pictures, shelves or tables on which are 
arranged sundry very commonplace ob- 
jects, each bearing a numbered ticket. On 
close examination he finds that the num- 
bers correspond with those in the cata- 
logue, and that No. 1, "Horse Fair" — fare 
— is represented after a realistic fashion 
by a handful of oats and a wisp of hay. 
No. 2, which he expected to find a spirited 
marine sketch, is in reality only a tooth- 
brush lying beside a jack-plane; while the 
supposed companion picture, "Caught in a 
Squall Off Yarmouth," is represented by 
a red herring. No. 4, "The Last of Poor 
Dog Tray," is a sausage, and the exhib- 
itor particularly begs that no gentleman 
will on any account whistle while passing 



88 SOCIALS 

this picture. No. 5, "He Will Return, I 
Know He Will," presumably the agon- 
ized cry of a forsaken maiden, is in reality 
a poor-rate collector's paper, marked 
"Fifth application." No. 6 is represented 
by a numbered ticket only, with no object 
attached to it. The exhibitor explains that 
"The Midnight Hour" has not yet arrived, 
but that any gentleman who likes to wait 
till it does (which will be at twelve o'clock 
punctually), is very welcome to do so. The 
"Heroes of Waterloo," Wellington and 
Blucher, No. 7, are represented by a 
couple of boots known by those dis- 
tinguished names. 8, "True to the Core," 
is a rosy-cheeked apple. 9 is a coil of 
watch spring. 10, "Tears, Idle Tears," on 
which the exhibitor feelingly expatiates as 
a noble example of the imaginative in art, 
is an onion. The space dedicated to No. 
11 is occupied by the numbered ticket only, 
the exhibitor explaining that "The Mid- 
night Assassin" (who is stated to be a 
large and lively flea) has strolled away 
and is wandering at large about the room ; 
and he adds an entreaty that any lady or 
gentleman who may meet with him will 
immediately return him to his place in the 
collection. "The Dripping Well" (No. 12) 
proves to be of the description more usu- 
ally known as a dripping-pan. "Family 
Jars," by Potter, is found to consist of a 



SOCIALS 89 

pickle jar and jam pot. No. 14, "Never 
Too Late to Mend," is a boot patched all 
over; while 15, "Past Healing," is its fel- 
low, too far gone to admit of like renova- 
tion. "The First Sorrow" is a broken doll. 
"Saved" is a money box, containing two- 
pence halfpenny, mostly in farthings. The 
next is a vacant space, over which the ex- 
hibitor passes with the casual remark, "No. 
18, as you will observe, is unfortunately 
lost." No. 19, "First Love," is a piece of 
taffy. 20, "The Death of the Camel," is 
a straw, labeled "the last," and the ex- 
hibitor explains that this is the identical 
straw that broke the camel's back. "His 
First Cigar" is a mild Havana of brown 
paper. "A Good Fellow Gone" is sug- 
gested, rather than represented, by an odd 
glove. Nos. 23 and 24 are represented by 
two small mirrors, which are handed to a 
lady and a gentleman respectively, with a 
few appropriate remarks as to the extreme 
success of the likenesses, coupled with 
critical remarks as to the "expression" in 
each case. "Our Churchwardens" are a 
pair of Tong clay pipes. No. 26, "Por- 
traits of the Reigning Sovereigns of Eu- 
rope," are represented by a few cancelled 
foreign postage stamps. "The Monsters 
of the Deep," in No. 27, are represented 
by a periwinkle and a shrimp. "The Last 
Man" (No. 28), is at present missing 



90 SOCIALS 

from his place in the collection, but the 
exhibitor explains that he will be seen go- 
ing out just as the exhibition closes. The 
"Contribution from the Sheepshanks Col- 
lection" (29), is a couple of mutton bones; 
while "The Light of Other Days'*' (30) 
is an old-fashioned lantern and tinder box. 
"The Meet (meat) of Her Majesty's 
Hounds" is a piece of dog biscuit. No. 32 
is a leaky can of water. "The Maiden's 
Joy" (obviously) is a wedding ring. "The 
Fall" is a lady's veil. No. 35, "Mother- 
hood," is the gem of the collection, and 
should be kept carefully hidden (say by a 
handkerchief thrown over it) until the 
company have had time to read and ap- 
preciate Mr. Caverley's graceful lines, 
when the veil is removed, and behold — an 
eggl No. 36, "A Friendly Party on 
Hampstead Heath," is represented by three 
toy donkeys. "Borrowed Plumes" are 
represented by a lady's false front. "Out 
for the Night" is an extinguished candle. 
"Something to Adore" is a rusty bolt. 
"The Wearied Grinder" is a back tooth of 
somebody's very much the worse for wear. 
"Repentance" (No. 41) is represented by 
a smashed hat and a bottle of sodawater. 
"Maggie's Secret" is a gray hair, labeled 
"Her First." No. 43, "Somebody's Lug- 
gage," consists of a broken comb and a 
paper collar. "Eusebius" is a pair of spec- 



SOCIALS 91 

tacles. "Happy Childhood" is indicated 
by a lithe and "swishy" cane. When the 
company arrive at No. 46, the correspond- 
ing object is apparently missing. The ex- 
hibitor refers to his notes and says: "46 
— 46? I see they have written down 
against No. 46, 'The Exhibitor,' but I 
don't see quite what they mean. Suppose 
we pass on to the curiosities, ladies and 
gentlemen." No. 47 is merely some 
smashed crockery, and No. 48 a pewter 
quart pot.. No. 49 is again a vacant space, 
and the exhibitor explains that "The Last 
of the Mohicans" has just gone home to 
his tea, and has taken his skull with him. 
No. 50 is, as its name implies, a group of 
marbles, of the school boy character. No. 
51 is a paper bag of peas, and, being too 
full, has "bust." "The Puzzle" (No. 52) 
is an old guide book. "The Instantaneous 
Kid Reviver" is a baby's feeding bottle ; 
and the "Earnest Entreaty" is the request 
of the exhibitor that the visitors will rec- 
ommend the collection to their friends. 

If the "showman" be possessed of a 
good fund of talk and a dash of dry hu- 
mor, the fun of the collection may be still 
further enhanced by his explanations and 
criticisms of the various objects. Poor 
Artemus Ward's celebrated lecture is an 
excellent model to copy ; indeed, many of 
his "bits" may be stolen bodily with very 



$2 SOCIALS 

satisfactory result. Even without the aid 
of a showman, the comparison of the poet- 
ical descriptions and the sober reality will 
produce a good deal of fun; but, in this 
case, the various blanks or vacant spaces 
to be filled up by explanation must neces- 
sarily be omitted — a good many telling 
items being thereby sacrificed. 



CHAPTER XL 

OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 

RAISING THE GHOST MAGIC LANTERN PIC- 
TURES PHANTASMAGORIA CHINESE 

SHADOWS WONDERFUL MIRROR 

MULTIPLIED MONEY 

RAISING A GHOST 

Place a small magic lantern in a box 
large enough to contain a small swing 
dressing-glass, which will reflect the light 
thrown on it by the lantern in such a way 
that it will pass out at the aperture made 
at the top of the box, which aperture 
should be oval and of a size adapted to 
the cone of light to pass through it. There 
should be a flap with hinges, to cover the 
opening, that the inside of the box may 
not be seen. There must be holes in that 
part of the box which is over the lantern, 
to let out the smoke; and over this must 
be placed a chafing-dish, of an oblong 
figure, large enough to hold several lighted 
coals. This chafing-dish, for the better 
carrying on the deception, may be inclosed 

93 



94 OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 

in a painted tin box, about a foot high, 
with a hole at top, and should stand on 
four feet, to let the smoke of the lantern 
escape. There must also be a glass 
planned to move up and down in the 
groove, and so managed by a cord and 
pulley that it may be raised up and let 
down by the cord coming through the out- 
side of the box. On this glass the spectre 
(or any other figure you please) must be 
painted, in a contracted or squat form, as 
the figure will reflect a greater length than 
it is drawn. When you have lighted the 
lamp in the lantern and placed the mirror 
in a proper direction, put the box on a 
table, and, setting the chafing-dish in it, 
throw some incense in powder on the 
coals. You then open the trap door and 
let down the glass in the groove slowly, 
and when you perceive the smoke dimin- 
ish, draw up the glass, that the figure may 
disappear, and shut the trap-door. This 
exhibition will afford much w r onder. The 
lights in the room must be extinguished, 
and the box should be placed on a high 
table, that the aperture through which 
the light comes out may not be seen. 

A MAGIC-LANTERN TRICK 

The light of the magic-lantern and the 
color of images may not only be painted 



OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 95 

on a cloth, but also reflected by a cloud 
of smoke. Provide a box of wood or 
pasteboard, about four feet high and seven 
or eight inches square at bottom, but di- 
minishing as it ascends, so that its aper- 
ture at the top be but six inches long and 
half an inch wide. At the bottom of this 
box there must be a door that shuts quite 
close, by which you are to place in the 
box a chafing-dish with hot coals, on which 
is to be thrown incense, whose smoke 
goes out in a cloud at the top of the box; 
on this cloud you are to throw the light 
that comes out of the lantern, and which 
you bring into a smaller compass by draw- 
ing out the movable tube. In this repre- 
sentation, the motion of the smoke does 
not at all change the figures, which appear 
so conspicuous that the spectator thinks 
he can grasp them with his hand. In the 
experiment, some of the rays passing 
through the smoke, the representation will 
be much less vivid than on the cloth ; and 
if care be not taken to reduce the light to 
its smallest focus, it will be still more im- 
perfect. 

- THE PHANTASMAGORIA 

In showing the common magic-lantern, 
the spectators see a round circle of light 
with the figures in the middle of it ; but 
in the Phantasmagoria thev see the figures 



96 OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 

only, without any circle of light. The 
exhibition is produced by a magic lantern, 
placed on that side of a half-transparent 
screen which is opposite to that on which 
the spectators are, instead of being on the 
same side, as in the ordinary exhibition of 
the magic lantern. To favor the decep- 
tion, the slides are made perfectly opaque, 
except in those places that contain the fig- 
ures to be exhibited, and in these light 
parts the glass is covered with a more or 
less transparent tint, according to the ef- 
fect required. The easiest way is to draw 
the figures with water colors on thin paper 
and afterward varnish them. To imitate 
the natural motions of the objects repre- 
sented, several pieces of glass placed be- 
hind each other are occasionally employed. 
By removing the lantern to different dis- 
tances, and at the same time altering, more 
or less distinct, at the pleasure of the ex- 
hibitor; so that, to a person unacquainted 
with the effect of optical instruments, 
these figures appear actually to advance 
and recede. Transparent screens for the 
Phantasmagoria are prepared by spread- 
ing white wax, dissolved in spirits of wine 
or oil of turpentine, over thin muslin ; a 
screen so prepared may be rolled up with- 
out injury. A clearer screen may be pro- 
duced by having the muslin always strained 
upon a rectangular frame, and preparing 



OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 9V 

it with turpentine, instead of wax; but 
such a screen is not always convenient, and 
cannot be rolled without cracking, and be- 
coming in a short time useless. 

CHINESE SHADOWS 

In a partition wall cut an aperture of 
any size; for example, four feet in length 
and two in breadth, so that the lower edge 
may be about five feet from the floor, and 
cover it with white Italian gauze, var- 
nished with gum-copal. Provide several 
frames of the same size as the aperture, 
covered with the same kind of gauze, and 
delineate upon the gauze different figures, 
such as landscapes and buildings, analo- 
gous to the scenes which you intend to ex- 
hibit by means of small figures represent- 
ing men and animals. These figures are 
formed of pasteboard, and their different 
parts are made movable, according to the 
effect intended to be produced by their 
shadows, when moved backward and for- 
ward behind the frames, at a small dis- 
tance from them. To make them act with 
more facility, small wires, fixed to their 
movable parts, are bent backward and 
made to terminate in rings, through which 
the fingers of the hand are put, while the 
figure is supported on the left by means 
of another iron wire. In this manner they 



98 OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 

may be made to advance or recede and 
to gesticulate, without the spectators ob- 
serving the mechanism by which they are 
moved ; and as the shadow of these figures 
is not observed on the paintings till they 
are opposite those parts which are not 
strongly shaded, they may thus be con- 
cealed and made to appear at the proper 
moments, and others may be occasionally ' 
substituted in their stead. 

It is necessary, when the figures are 
made to act, to speak a dialogue, suited 
to their gestures, and imitate the noise 
occasioned by different circumstances. The 
paintings must be illuminated from be- 
hind by means of a reverberating lamp, 
placed opposite to the center of the paint- 
ing, and distant from it about four or five 
feet. Various amusing scenes may be rep- 
resented in this manner by employing 
small figures of men and animals, and 
making them move in as natural a way as 
possible, which will depend on the address 
and practice of the person who exhibits 
them. i 

A WONDERFUL MIRROR 

Make two openings of a foot high and 
ten inches wide and about a foot distant from 
each other, in the wainscoting of a wall ; 
let them be at the common height of a 
man's head; and in each of them place a 



OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 9D 

transparent glass, surrounded with a 
frame, like a common mirror. Behind 
this partition place two mirrors, one on 
the outward side of each opening, inclined 
to the wainscot at an angle of forty-five 
degrees; let them both be eighteen inches 
square; let all the space between them be 
enclosed by boards or pasteboard, painted 
black and well closed, that no light may 
enter ; let there be also two curtains to 
cover them, which may be drawn aside 
at pleasure.. When a person looks into 
one of these supposed mirrors, instead of 
seeing his own face he will perceive the 
object that is in the front of the other; 
so that, if two persons present themselves 
at the same time before these mirrors, in- 
stead of each one seeing himself, they will 
reciprocally see each other. There should 
je a sconce with a candle or lamp placed 
on each side of the two glasses in the 
wainscot, to enlighten the faces of the 
persons who look in them, otherwise this 
experiment will have no remarkable effect. 
This recreation may be considerably im- 
proved by placing the two glasses in the 
wainscot in adjoining rooms, and a num- 
ber of persons being previously placed in 
one room, when a stranger enters the 
other, you may tell him his face is dirty, 
and desire him to look in the glass, which 
he will naturally do ; and on seeing a 



100 OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 

strange face he will draw back; but re- 
turning to it, and seeing another, another 
and another, what his surprise will be is 
more easy to conceive than express. 

When one looks in a mirror placed per- 
pendicularly to another, his face will ap- 
pear entirely deformed. If the mirror be 
a little inclined, so as to make an angle ' 
of eighty degrees (that is, one-ninth part 
from the perpendicular), he will then see 
all the parts of his face, except the nose 
and forehead; if it be inclined to sixty de- 
grees (that is, one-third part), he will ap- 
pear with three noses and six eyes; in 
short, the apparent deformity will vary at 
each degree of inclination ; and when the 
glass comes to forty-five degrees (that is, 
half-way down), the face will vanish. If, 
instead of placing the two mirrors in this 
situation, they are so disposed that their 
junction may be vertical, their different 
inclinations will produce other effects, as 
the situation of the object relative to these 
mirrors is quite different. < 

THE DISAPPEARING PAPER 

Attach to a dark wall a round piece of 
paper an inch or two in diameter, and, a 
little lower, at the distance of two feet on 
each side, make two marks ; then place 
yourself directly opposite to the paper, and 



OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 101 

hold the end of your finger before your 
face in such a manner that when the right 
eye is open it shall conceal the mark on the 
right; if you then look with both eyes to 
the end of your finger, the paper, which is 
not at all concealed by it from either of 
your eyes, will, nevertheless, disappear. 

MULTIPLIED MONEY 



cal form, that is, small at bottom and wide 
at top, and, having put into it a dime, let 
it be half filled with water; then place a 
plate upon the top of the glass, and turn 
it quickly over, that the water may not get 
out; a piece of silver as large as half a 
dollar will immediately appear on the plate, 
and somewhat higher up another piece of 
the size of a dime. 

MULTIPLYING SHADOWS 

A dummy figure (suppose that of a 
witch, riding on the conventional broom- 
stick) is suspended by fine threads or wires 
on the screen remote from the spectators. 
Behind this are ranged, one behind the 
other, and at right angles to the screen, a 
row of lighted candles. Being all in the 
same line, they throw ore shadow only on 
the screen. The figure is now made to os- 



102 OPTICAL ILLUSIONS 

cillate slightly, so as to impart some little 
motion to the shadow. One of the can- 
dles is now removed from its place in the 
row, and waved gently about, now high, 
now low, the effect to the spectators be- 
ing that a second shadow springs out of 
the first, and dances about it on the screen. 
A second and third candle is then removed, 
and waved up and down, each candle as 
it leaves its place in the line, producing a 
separate shadow. It is well to have three 
or four assistants, each taking a candle in 
each hand. 



CHAPTER XII 

TABLE GAMES FOR ADULTS 

DOMINOES BACKGAMMON CHECKERS — - 

JENKINS ZOO STRAY SYLLABLES 

CHESS 

DOMINOES 

At the beginning of the game the domi- 
noes are thoroughly shuffled by being 
turned face down and stirred round and 
round. The players then draw at random 
as many bones as the game requires. 
These dominoes with which the hand is to 
be played may stand on their edges in 
front of the players or may be held in the 
hand, or both. It is usual to sort them into 
suits as far as possible. The one who has 
drawn the highest doublet usually plays or 
sets first. 

The object in dominoes is either to block' 

the game so that the adversary cannot play 

or it is to make the two ends when added 

together equal to some multiple of a given 

103 



104 TABLE GAMES 

number, or it is to make both ends of the 
line the same. The player first getting 
rid of all his pieces is "Domino." 

Dominoes are made in sets known by 
the number of pips on the highest domino 
or bone in the set. The standard set is 
double-sixes and contains twenty-eight 
bones. Some persons use double-nines. 
In the double-six set there are seven 
"suits," each named after some number 
from six to blank. In each of these suits 
there are seven bones, but each domino in 
a suit, except the doublet, belongs to some 
other suit as well. The lower figure on 
each domino shows the other suit to which 
it belongs. 

All games of dominoes, except mata- 
dore, are based on the principle of follow- 
ing suit or matching. The first player 
"sets" a certain domino, and after that each 
player must play one of the same suit, 
the suit called for being always that of 
the exposed or open end. 

BACKGAMMON 

The object of each player is to get all 
his men into his home table, and as soon 
as they have all arrived to throw them off 
the board altogether. The one that suc- 
ceeds in doing this first wins the game. 



105 

Each of - wo ]^yers has fifteen men, 
known as b' ac j <: ^< white, and each should 
have his ov n <ji ce P° x - Almost all of the 

folding pecker boai ~^ s are mar ^ e( ^ on tne 
reverse su e f Q „ ^ j!:gammon, and the fif- 
teen men or^Vy ^lor in a checker set 
are intended fof^\ f o r ;ammon players. The 
two sides of the board nearer the players 
are called tables, and the table with only 
two men on two' of the points is called the 
inner table. It is also the home table of 
the player who sits with that side of the 
board nearer to him. 

It does not matter which way the board 
is turned, as the arrow points are alter- 
nately light and dark all the way round 
in either direction, but it is usual to place 
the side of the board with only two men 
on points nearest the window, so that 
there shall be a good light on the home 
tables. The points in the home tables are 
known by their numbers, which correspond 
to the faces of a die, and are called : ace 
point, deuce point, trey point, four point, 
five point, and six point. 

The point immediately across the bar 
which divides the two tables is called the 
"bar point," not because it is next the bar, 
but because it bars the two adverse men 
in your home table from running away 
with double sixes if you can "make it up." 



106 TABLE GA' MES 



The object of the g : ame j s to &pture all 
the opponent's men arf* i r . ^ e them from 
the board, or else to ^ : — I'nem up in such 
a manner that he cannot move. If neither 
player can accomplish this, the game is 
drawn. 

A board divided into sixty-four squares 
is used. These are of dark and light color. 
Each player receives twelve men, known 
as white and black. At the beginning of 
the game the board is so placed that each 
player shall have two of his men touch- 
ing the edge of the board at his left. The 
men are set on the black squares. 

The squares upon the board are sup- 
posed to be numbered from one to sixty- 
four, beginning at the upper left-hand 
corner upon the side of the board occu- 
pied by the black men. 

In giving the moves the first figures are 
the moves of a black man. The next fig- 
ures are the moves of a white man. 

As the men never leave the color upon 
which they are first placed, all moves must 
be diagonal. A man can move only one 
square at a time, and only to a square 
which is in front of him diagonally and is 
not occupied. 

If a square to which a man might move 



TABLE GAMES 107 

is occupied by an adverse piece, that piece 
can be jumped over if there is a vacant 
square immediately beyond him. The cap- 
turing piece moves to this vacant square, 
and the man jumped over is removed from 
the board. Two or more men may some- 
times be captured simultaneously. When 
a piece may be captured the player is 
obliged to take it. If he does not, his ad- 
versary can compel him to take back his 
move and make the capture, or can re- 
move from the board the piece that should 
have made the capture, or can let the mat- 
ter stand. If there are two different cap- 
tures on the board at the same time the 
player can take his choice of them. 

JENKINS 

Any number of players may play this 
game, which is common to almost every 
nation, and is very interesting. Sides be- 
ing formed, the players seat themselves at 
a table, facing each other. It having been 
decided who shall first hold the silver 
piece, the player who receives it holds it 
in his closed hand under the table, as do 
all the players on his side, when they re- 
ceive it, and the piece is passed from hand 
to hand, the object being to deceive the 
opposite players as to its whereabouts. 

The captain of the side which has not 



108 TABLE GAMES 

the coin now calls : "Jenkins says hands 
up," and all the hands come up, closed ; 
then "Jenkins says hands down," and all 
the hands fall, palms downward, on the 
table. There should be much noise to 
drown the clink of the piece as it falls on 
the table. 

The opposing side now tries to guess the 
side which has not the coin. The captain 
directs the players who have not the piece 
to take their "hands off." None of his 
side may give this order. Should any do 
so the coin is forfeited. 

Should the captain make a mistake and 
call up a hand under which the coin is 
hidden, the piece remains with the same 
side, and the number of hands still on the 
table counts for the side which keeps the 
coin. If the last hand left on the table 
covers the piece, it then goes to the oppos- 
ing players. It is necessary to set a 
score. The side which makes these points 
wins the game. 



Each guest receives a slip of paper, on 
which is written the name of a flower. 
When all are ready to begin, the hostess 
gives to each a sheet of tissue paper of 
the color needed to make a designated 



TABLE GAMES 109 

flower; also two sheets of green paper of 
different shades. 

Thirty minutes are allowed for the mak- 
ing of the flowers. A pair of scissors and. 
a needle and thread must be given to each, 
guest; also some mucilage. The flowers, 
are collected and a committee decides who 
has made the most perfect flower. The 
one who has done so receives the bouquet, 
of flowers made by the guests. 



The names of animals are given the 
players. Each receives ten slips of paper 
numbered from one to ten. These are ar- 
ranged irregularly in a pile. The slips are 
turned with the faces downward. 

The first player turns up his upper slip 
so that the number is visible and lays it 
down in front of him. In doing this, he 
must turn it away from himself, so that 
the other players see it first ; the next play- 
er then does the same. 

Should two slips coincide in number, 
they must each at once call each other's 
names — the animal names given them. The 
one who first calls the other's name gives 
away his slip to that other person, the ob- 
ject being to get rid of one's slips as fast 
as possible. 



110 TABLE GAMES 

If the slip turned up by the second play- 
er does not correspond in number to that 
turned up by the first, he also lays it down 
in front of him ; the third player then turns 
his up, and this is continued around the 
circle until a slip is turned that corresponds 
in number with any that has been turned 
up, when those two players must immedi- 
ately call each other's names. The winner 
is the one who first gets rid of his slips. 

SIMON says 

Any number of players seat themselves 
at a table. Each player makes a fist of 
each hand, extending the thumb. 

The leader says, "Simon says, Thumbs 
up' !" whereupon he places his own fist on 
the table before him, with the thumbs up- 
ward. The players do likewise. When 
the leader says, "Simon says, 'Thumbs 
down'," he turns his own hand over so that 
the tips of the thumbs touch the table. The 
others must imitate him. 

He then says, "My thumb wiggles-wag- 
gles." He suits the action to the word, and 
the rest repeat his performance. 

If at any time the leader omits the words 
"Simon says," and goes through the move- 
ments only with the words "Thumbs up," 
"Thumbs down," or "Wigle-waggle," the 
players must all keep their hands still and 



TABLE GA11ES 111 

not imitate his movements. Any player 
doing this pays a forfeit. 

author's initials 

Each player writes on a piece of paper 
groups of words, each group descriptive 
of some author, and each word beginning 
with one of his initials in regular order. 
The player who guesses the largest num- 
ber of authors wins the game. 

Example: Who is the just, gentle 
writer ? 

Answer : John Greenleaf Whittier. 

Whose stories are read alike by old and 
young ? 

Answer : James Fennimore Cooper. 

W 7 ho was the greatest humorist? 

Answer : "Mark Twain." 

SKETCHES 

The players are provided with sheets of 
paper and pencils. They then write a de- 
scription of some historical character. The 
object is to give a description that is truth- 
ful, yet misleading, in a way, so as to make 
the guessing a little harder. 

One player reads his description. The 
others ask questions that may be answered 
by "Yes" and "No." The one guessing 
correctly reads his description next. 



112 TABLE GAMES 

STRAY SYLLABLES 

The same syllable is often seen in dif- 
ferent words. You can prove this by play- 
ing the following game : Each player 
writes several words on a long strip of pa- 
per, leaving spaces between the different 
words. This having been done., the sylla- 
bles are cut out and shuffled. Each player 
draws three syllables. The guests seat 
themselves at small tables, and try to fash- 
ion words from the syllables, either using 
two or three of them. If it is impossible 
to do this, they must be returned and oth- 
ers are taken in their place. Another trial 
at word-making is given, and the one who, 
after a definite time, has made the most 
words out of his syllables, wins a prize. 

SHAKESPEAREAN ROMANCE 

One of Shakespeare's plays is selected, 
and as many questions are arranged in 
connection with it as the writer can think 
of. These are given to the players. 

Example : About what time of the 
month were they married? 

Answer : Twelfth-Night. 

Of whom did they buy the ring? 

Answer: Merchant of Venice. 

In what kind of a place did they live? 

Answer : Hamlet. 



TABLE GAMES 



Pencils and paper are given the guests, 
and a subject for the parody is given. This 
may be a poem or a story, as selected by the 
hostess. The parodies are collected and 
read. The company decides which is the 
best one. To this one a handsome copy 
of the poem or story is given. 

LONDON 

On a large, oblong slate draw with a 
slate pencil a diagram, as follows : Hori- 
zontal lines every two inches across the 
narrow part of the slate. Pieces of paper 
are blown over the diagram toward the 
top of the slate ; or beans or pieces of 
chalk may be substituted for the paper. 
One of these is called a "chipper." If you 
use beans, snap them over the diagram 
with the fingers. Where the "chipper" 
stops, draw a mark to represent a small 
round "o." This depicts a man's head. 
The "chipper," having been returned to 
the starting point, is again snapped over 
the diagram. This continues until the 
player has marked a head in each of the 
spaces ; or should his chipper land a second 
time in a space in which he has already 
marked such a head, he makes a larger 



114 TABLE GAMES 

round "O" under the head, to represent the 
body of a man. The third time it lands 
in this place he makes a downward stroke 
for a leg, and the fourth time, one for a 
second leg, which completes the man. 
Should three complete men be so drawn 
in one space, the player, without shooting 
again, draws what are called "arms," that 
is, a horizontal line from the figure across 
the space to the outside limit. This occu- 
pies the space completely and keeps the 
other players out of it. He continues to 
play until his "chipper" lands on a line. 
If this goes beyond the diagram, the 
player is "out." Each player takes a turn. 
He can start, or complete men, in any 
space not occupied with three armed men, 
even though the former player may have 
started men in the space or have completed 
two of them. A player can build only on 
his own men. The one drawing the larg- 
est number of spaces with three armed 
men is the winner. 



Chess is a game which can only be 
played by two persons at the same time. 
The requisites are a board consisting of 
64 squares of alternate black and white, 
and 32 pieces of wood, ivory, bone or 
other composition, which are technically 



TABLE GAMES 115 

known as "men." The board is so placed 
between the players that a white square 
is on the extreme right of each. The "men" 
are called black and white, there being an 
equal number of each. One player takes 
the white and another the black. Each 
division of 16 is composed of a king (the 
capture of which is the issue of the game), 
a queen, 2 rooks or castles, 2 bishops, 2 
knights, and 8 pawns. In commencing the 
game, the rooks are placed on the corner 
squares, next to them on each side a 
knight, next to the knights on each side a 
bishop, and then the king and queen. If 
white, the queen is placed on the remain- 
ing white square, if black, on the remain- 
ing black square, and thus both queens 
face each other. It is the same with the 
kings. The 8 pawns are placed on each 
side on the squares immediately in front 
of the pieces. 

The player has the privilege of moving 
his king into any vacant square adjacent to 
one he is occupying, provided it is not al- 
ready taken by a piece belonging to his 
opponent, but he can go no farther. The 
queen can be moved in any direction up, 
down, backwards, forwards, as long as 
there is no piece to block her. The same 
can be done with the rook or castle, ex- 
cept that it cannot be moved diagonally- 
The bishop can only be moved diagonal- 



116 TABLE GAMES 

ly, in a backward or forward direction. 
The move of the knight is a combination 
of the rook's shortest move, followed by 
the bishop's shortest move. It is not hin- 
dered by intervening pawns or pieces. The 
pawn can only be moved one square at a 
time, and that in a forward direction. An- 
other pawn in front of it stops its prog- 
ress. A pawn has the power of captur- 
ing an opposite pawn in either of the ad- 
jacent squares in advance and diagonally 
to the right or left of it when it moves 
into the square of the one captured. The 
king is never captured. When a piece or 
pawn attacks him he is said to be in check 
and the opposite player cries out "Check" ! 
The attacked king is freed from check by 
moving him to an adjacent square not oc- 
cupied by a piece or pawn of the opposite 
side, or else by opposing some piece to de- 
fend him from the check. If the player 
cannot resort to either of these tactics to 
save his king he is "checkmated" and 
loses the game. 



CHAPTER XIII 
OUTDOOR GAMES FOR ADULTS 

LAWN TENNIS POLO HOCKEY — GOLF 

ARCHERY RING TOSS LAWN BOWLS 

LAWN TENNIS 

A lawn tennis court is a plot of level 
ground about 26 yards by 9 yards, divided 
into sections. A net standing 3^ feet high 
is drawn across the middle and attached 
to two posts outside the court on each side 
about three feet. The players stand on 
opposite sides of the net ; the one who 
first delivers the ball is called the server 
and the other the striker-out. At the end 
of each game they reverse places. The 
server wins a stroke if the striker out 
"volley" the service, that is, he strike the 
ball before it touches the ground ; or if the 
ball is returned by the striker-out, so that 
it drops outside his opponent's court, the 
latter wins the stroke. 

The striker-out wins if the server 

117 



118 OUTDOOR GAMES 

serves two consecutive "faults," which con- 
sist in sending the ball to the net or out- 
side the lines; or if the server fail to re- 
turn the ball in play, the striker-out wins. 
Either player loses a stroke if the ball 
touch him in the act of striking, if he 
touches the ball with his racket more than 
once, if he touch the net or any of its 
supports while the ball is in play, or if 
he "volley" the ball before it has passed 
the net. 

The player winning the first stroke gets 
a credit score of 15; for the second he 
gets 30; for the third 40, and if he wins 
the fourth he has the game. Six games 
in succession entitle the winner to a Set. 

For a three-handed or four-handed game 
the Court requires to be 12 yards in width. 
In a three-handed game the single player 
serves every alternate game. In the four- 
handed game the pair who have the right 
to serve in the first game shall decide 
which partner shall do so and the oppos- 
ing pair shall decide in like manner for 
the second game. The partner of the play- 
er who served in the first game shall serve 
in the third, and the partner of the player 
who served in the second game shall serve 
in the fourth, and the same order is to be 
observed in all the succeeding games of 
the set. If one partner of a double team 
strikes at a ball and does not touch it, his 



OUTDOOR GAMES 119 

partner still has the right to return it. A 
player or different member of a team may 
strike at a ball as often as he pleases, for 
it is still in play until hit. The server 
must wait until the striker-out is ready for 
the second service as well as the first, and 
if the striker-out claims to be not ready 
and makes no effort to return the second 
service, the server cannot claim the point, 
even though the service was good. If a 
player's racket touches the net after the 
ball has struck the latter he does not loose 
a point. 

The ball is always in play until it has 
struck the ground outside of the Court or 
has touched the inside ground twice. A 
ball is "dead" the instant it strikes the 
ground outside of the Court, and the point 
must be scored against the side sending the 
ball there, no matter what happens after 
the ball touches the ground. 

In selecting a site for a lawn tennis 
court select a level field. Lay it out north 
and south, if possible so as to prevent the 
rays of the sun from blinding the players. 
The court may, or may not, be grassy. As 
a general rule, sand courts are preferred. 
Level the court carefully, so there will be 
no gradient or inequality in it. To make 
a foundation, use stones pounded into 
place, and add top-soil to a depth of seven 
inches or more. The ground should be 



120 OUTDOOR GAMES 

often watered and rolled. Sand is usual- 
ly mixed with clay for a top soil, as the 
sand is likely to give under the running 
feet. In the case of a grassy court it 
should be constantly clipped and in addi- 
tion rolled once or twice a week to keep 
the ground hard and even. 

polo 

Polo is a game played from horseback 
in a large, level field. There is a goal at 
each end of the field in the center, the 
posts ten feet high and 24 feet apart. The 
teams are generally four a side, but when 
possible a greater number may play. The 
regular game in this country for teams of 
four is of four periods of 15 minutes of 
actual play each. To win a goal counts 
one, and the team having the largest score 
at the end wins the match. 

The equipment for the game besides the 
goal posts (which are generally of wood 
or papier-mache to prevent serious acci- 
dents) are the balls and mallets. The balls 
are of willow $% inches in diameter, and 
weigh 5 ounces. The mallet sticks are 
of rattan cane, and from 4 to 4^ feet 
long, set into square heads beveled at the 
sides and about 8 inches long and 2 wide. 
The handles are leather-wrapped to in- 
sure a good grip. As to the ponies, no 



OUTDOOR GAMES 121 

blinkers are used, so that they may have a 
clear sight of the field. No rowels or 
spurs are permitted. The animals have to 
be trained for the purpose. 

Each of the four players of a side has 
certain rules to obey governing his posi- 
tion. It is for Number I to watch the op- 
posing back, to ride him off and clear the 
way for his own side when they have the 
ball going towards the goal. All his en- 
ergies must be directed to obtaining a 
clear field for his side. He requires a fast 
pony to do the work. 

The position of Number 2 is the most 
independent and the player is called the 
"flying man" of the team. He must be 
an adept in "dribbling" out the ball so as 
to get a fair hit at it. As it comes to him 
from his side players his part is to race 
with it, hitting as he gallops, and in this 
way make the goal if he can. 

It is the duty of Number 3 to help his 
back when the latter is being hard pressed 
and be ready to exchange places" with him 
when the back gets an opportunity to make 
a run with the ball. 

Number 4 is the real back, for all the 
others are_ in front of him and conse- 
quently his is the most important position. 
He must have a shifty pony well trained 
to riding work. He has to defend the 
goal, and therefore must be an expert 



122 OUTDOOR GAMES 

"backhander," that is, quick to send back 
the ball to the opposing rank when it comes 
in the direction of his goal. It is the place 
of the back to knock in when the ball goes 
over the end line. When he is sure of the 
half-back player on his side he may go up 
into the game and make a leading attack 
himself, but it is nearly always well for 
him to avoid meeting the ball, for if he 
misses, the goal is left defenceless. 

On the whole, pony polo is an intricate 
game, and while it is not the sport of 
kings, it is only adapted to the people of 
leisure with whom time and money are 
not an obiect. 



To play hockey a level field is required 
about ioo yards long and 50 yards wide. 
The space is marked out in whitewash 
lines and small flags are placed at each 
corner. The long lines are called side 
lines, and the shorter ones goal lines. 
Across the center, 50 yards from either 
goal, is the center line. This divides the 
ground in half. These halves are again 
equally divided by 25-yard lines. Five 
yards inside each line is marked a dotted 
line, parallel with the side line, and which 
is called the five-yard line. 

In the middle of each goal line and 4 



OUTDOOR GAMES 122 

yards apart are placed the goal posts, 
which are uprights 7 feet high, with a 
horizontal bar from one to the other. Fif- 
teen yards in front of each goal is drawn 
a line 4 yards long, parallel to the goal 
. line ; the ends of this line are brought 
round in curves to meet the goal line and 
the space thus inclosed is called the 
"striking circle. " 

The stick and balls are the main requi- 
sites of hockey. The sticks are made of 
hickor}^. The better kind have ash blades 
and cane handles, such handles giving a 
spring which sends a clean drive without 
giving a jar to the hands. The balls used 
are about the size and weight of the aver- 
age baseball. 

Nowadays it is customary to have nets 
behind the goal posts, so that it may be 
definitely determined if there is any dis- 
pute whether the ball went clean through 
between the goal posts or past the outside 
of either. 

Hockey requires 22 players, 11 on each 
side, consisting of 5 forwards, 3 half-backs, 
2 full-backs and a goal-keeper. The cen- 
ter forward stands in the middle of the 
ground. On her right about 10 yards dis- 
tant stands the inside right; the right wing 
stands between the 5-yard line and the side 
line ; the inside left and the left wing stand 
on the left of the center forward. The 



124 OUTDOOR GAMES 

half-backs stand 15 yards behind the for- 
ward. The center half takes her place di- 
rectly in line with the center forward; the 
right half covers the two right forwards, 
while the left half covers the two left for- 
wards. Behind, on the 25-yard line, stand 
the fullbacks, right and left; the goal- 
keeper stands between the goal posts about 
a foot in front of the goal line. 

The two center forwards start the game 
by "bullying off" the ball in the center of 
the field ; the ball is placed on the center 
line while the two forwards stand with a 
foot on either side of the line facing each 
other and standing square to the side line ; 
then the center halves and left and inside 
forwards on the blowing of the whistle for 
the "bully," close up in order to keep watch, 
each one ready to take the ball should it 
come in her direction. When one of the 
center forwards gets the ball she tries to 
pass it out to either of her own inside 
players, who endeavors to "dribble" it up 
the field until she is encountered by an 
opposition player, at which juncture, by a 
quick stroke she passes it out to the wing 
player. It is in this manner, by keeping 
a straight course and assisted by their half- 
backs that the forwards by passing and 
"dribbling" get the ball into the "striking 
circle," and when they get it that length 
it is not a difficult matter to score a goal. 



OUTDOOR GAMES 



In golf the player strikes a ball in the 
endeavor to send it to a particular spot. 
He is not met with opposition in such en- 
deavor, as in other ball games, his oppo- 
nent having also a ball which he, too, is 
trying to put into the same spot with few- 
er strokes. This spot into which the play- 
er tries to put his ball is a small hole in 
the earth about 4^ inches in diameter, 
and the instruments he uses for doing so- 
are exceedingly varied. 

The game commences by a player hit- 
ting off from a marked line called the tee- 
ing-ground, the ball in the direction of the- 
first hole. In a regular golf course there 
are generally 18 holes, their distance apart 
varying from about 100 yards to 500 
yards. The smoothly kept grounds near 
the holes is called the "putting-greens," 
and beside each "putting-green" is a 
marked teeing-ground. After the ball has 
been struck from the "tee" the player must 
not touch it with his hand until it is 
driven into the next hole, out of which he 
may then take it and "tee" it on the teeing 
ground in a good position for the drive-off 
to the next hole. 

As the holes- are widely separated and 
the ground in many places uneven and 



126 OUTDOOR GAMES 

broken up, the ball will be driven into 
many positions, it will lie in the grass, in 
sand pits or bunkers, and in all kinds of 
holes and hollows in the rough surface, 
therefore it will be readily understood that 
the distance the ball is sent will vary with 
the stroke. It is to meet the difficulties 
arising from having to strike the ball in 
its different positions that so many instru- 
ments are called into requisition for the 
purpose. The names of the chief sticks 
and implements employed in the sport are : 
driver, brassie, spoon, cleek, iron, mashie, 
niblick and putter. The driver, brassie 
and spoon are wooden-headed clubs, but 
the others have always iron heads. The 
driver is the club used for striking to the 
greatest distance when the ball is on the 
''tee," that is, on the little mound of sand 
on which it is placed at the commence- 
ment of each hole, so that more facility 
may be had in striking it. The putter is 
used on the putting-green, for short 
strokes round about the holes. The put- 
ting-green or ground surrounding each 
hole is kept level for about a radius of 
20 yards from the hole. The different 
sticks or clubs are graded from driver to 
putter in accordance with the different 
lengths of stroke for which they are de- 
signed. For instance, the niblick is a short 
club for taking the ball out of difficult 



OUTDOOR GAMES 127 

positions ("lies") as when the latter gets 
into long grass, sand or some other awk- 
ward kind of obstruction. 

A good driver by well hitting the ball 
can send it to a distance of about 200 
yards from the tee. If the hole be so far 
off as to require a second stroke of equal 
length he can use the driver again, pro- 
vided the ball is on level ground, but it is 
likely it will not be on such ground for the 
second stroke, and in such case the bras- 
sie or spoon is called on to do service. 
Each of these instruments has the face 
that strikes the ball laid back more than 
in the driver, so that they can lift it more 
easily off the ground. If the ball gets 
into a worse position, as a bunker or sand- 
pit, the use of the cleek, iron or niblick 
will become necessary. The heads of these 
clubs are adjusted to deal with difficult 
"lies," that is, positions in which the ball 
may be driven. The niblick is used for 
taking it out of especially bad situations. 

The stroke called the full swing is used 
with the driver. There are many other 
modifications of stroke, such as the three- 
quarter, the half and the wrist strokes. 

As has been said, the issue of the game 
depends upon sending the ball into the 
holes with fewer strokes than the opposi- 
tion. Victory is gained by the side which 
holes the ball with less strokes. If the 



128 OUTDOOR GAMES 

sides hole out in the same number of 
strokes the hole is halved. A match is also 
won by the side which is leading by a num- 
ber of holes greater than the number of 
holes remaining to be played. Thus if 
Jones has won six holes and Smith four, 
and seven holes have been halved, Jones, 
in case the round is the ordinary length of 
1 8 holes, will be two holes up, with only 
one hole remaining to be played, and there- 
fore he, Jones, wins the match. This is 
the general manner of playing the game in 
a match, each player playing his own ball. 
In what is known as "score" play the 
relative merits of several can be tested at 
the same time. In this kind of play the 
total score of each player for all of the 18 
holes is added up and the player who has 
the lowest total is declared the winner. 



Archery has played an important part in 
the history of the race from the very ear- 
liest times. Primitive man hurled his stone- 
pointed arrows at wild beasts, and as he 
advanced to a higher state of the observ- 
ances of the laws of force he fashioned 
bows to give a greater impulse to his mis- 
siles. For hundreds of years the bow and 
arrow constituted the principal weapon of 
the chase, and finally became the instru- 



OUTDOOR GAMES 129 

ment of offence and defence for armored 
knights, warriors and heroes. Robin 
Hood, roving the wild w T oods of Merry- 
England, depended upon it for his prow- 
ess, as did Allan a Dale and Little John. 
In the early battles it was the chief 
weapon, and did effective service. In the 
battle of Hastings it decided the issue for 
William the Conqueror; at Agincourt, 
Crecy and Poitiers victory depended on 
its use. Skilled archers became famous all 
over the land, and many were their 
doughty deeds with the long bow. 

In modern time, however, with the in- 
troduction of firearms, archery declined, 
until it came to be but a mere memory of 
the past. The last century revived it, and 
to-day it is one of the most popular sports 
in England. Americans, too, have taken 
it up with enthusiasm, and clubs are inter- 
ested in it all over the land, the ladies be- 
ing especially devoted to it. 

In 1879 the first organization of Arch- 
ery Clubs was formed at Crawfordsville, 
Indiana, and the first annual target meet- 
ing was held in Chicago in the same year. 

Bows for archery are generally made 
out of tough soft wood, such as yew, with 
a flat outside called the back and a 
rounded inside called the belly ; they are 
always strung with latter side inward. 
Lance wood is chiefly used in the United 



130 OUTDOOR GAMES 

States on account of its resistance to 
heat. The bow must be easily controlled, 
and not too heavy. The strain of draw- 
ing a heavy bow is apt to pull the bow 
hand out of the line of sight. A 48-pound 
bow well drawn and loosed will give a 
lower trajectory than one of 55 pounds 
sluggishly handled. By the weight of a 
bow is not meant its avoirdupois, but the 
force necessary to draw the arrow to its 
head on the bow. It is all important to 
know how to string the bow. Grasp the 
handle firmly with the right hand, draw it 
near your right side, while the lower end 
rests against the inside of the right foot, 
the back of the bow being toward you. 
With left foot well extended in front so 
as to brace the body, rest the left hand on 
the bow below the loop of the upper end 
of the string, the tip of the thumb and 
knuckle of forefinger pressing firmly on 
opposite edges of the bow. Draw the bow 
firmly to you with the right hand, while 
you push down and away from you with 
the left. A little practice will soon give 
the knack. 

No part of the body except the face must 
be turned towards the target. Stand with 
the feet at right angles to the direction of 
the target and have them a few inches 
apart. In handling the arrow avoid 
touching the feathers, and in the act of 



OUTDOOR GAMES 131 

drawing always keep the thumb and 
fourth finger away from the arrow and 
string. As the bow is lifted, draw it three 
parts of the way, catch the aim, complete 
the draw and instantly loose. 

The arrows are an important consid- 
eration. Never use a light arrow with a 
heavy bow, nor, conversely, a heavy arrow 
with a light bow. Arrows are generally 
made of one piece of wood, but sometimes 
a harder kind is used for the part joining 
the tip and which is dovetailed into the 
shaft. The tip is formed of steel, and is 
cylindrical in form. The length varies. 
A lady's bow of 5 feet calls for a 24-inch 
arrow, the customary length of men's ar- 
rows is 28 inches. 

The target is a flat disc about four feet 
in diameter made from straw and cov- 
ered with an oilcloth or white sheet paint- 
ed in concentric rings of gold, red, blue, 
black and white, each color of which, when 
penetrated by the arrow counts so many 
points in the aim. The gold is the ob- 
jective point of the archer, the "bull's 
eye," as it is called. Three arrows are 
shot by each archer in turn, then three 
more, the six constituting an end. A cer- 
tain number of ends complete a given 
range, while two or three ranges form a 
round. Here is the American round : 

30 arrows at 60 yards. 



132 OUTDOOR GAMES 

30 arrows at 50 yards. 
30 arrows at 40 yards. 

RING TOSS 

This is a very simple game. A stake is 
driven into the ground for a flagstaff. At 
a distance of, say nine feet, stakes are ar- 
ranged as follows : four at equal distances, 
back of these, at a short distance, three ; 
then two ; then one. The setting for nine 
pins is the same. 

Each stake is numbered from ten, be- 
ginning on the left hand side, to one hun- 
dred, which is the apex of the setting. 

Iron rings are tossed from the flagstaff 
by each player. A score is kept. The one 
getting the greatest number of points is 
the winner. 

LAWN BOWLS 

Lawn bowls, although but recently in- 
troduced into the United States, is, how- 
ever, one of the oldest games in existence, 
and is believed to have been playe.d by the 
Ancient Greeks and Romans. Scotland 
has brought this game to its present state 
of perfection. The game is played as fol- 
lows : 

Select a level lawn, or a floor will an- 
swer if this game be played indoors. 



OUTDOOR GAMES 133 

Choose sides, giving those of a side, balls 
of a similar color. 

A ball of a third color is called the 
Jack. The one holding it begins the play- 
by rolling the ball over the lawn. Where 
it stops is the goal. The others try to 
strike the Jack. The one doing this is the 
winner of the game. Or put a nine pin, 
or nine pins, at a distance from the play- 
ers, and try to strike as is done in a bowl- 
ing alley. 



CHAPTER XIV 

HOLIDAY GAMES AND AMUSE- 
MENTS 

new year's — Lincoln's day — valentine 
party — easter egg party hallow- 
een games — flag day thanks- 
giving christmas 

new yearns eve party 

The decorations for the room are holly 
and mistletoe. The guests are attired in 
white to represent snow, or they may ap- 
pear in fur-trimmed garments. At mid- 
night all sing "Auld Lang Syne," and 
shake hands. Calendars are appropriate 
souvenirs for the occasion. At midnight 
all wish each other "A Happy New 
Year." 

CHILDREN'S NEW YEAR GAMES 

Give the children pencils and paper. Let 
them write out their resolutions for the 
New Year. These may be grave or funny 
as desired. Give calendars as souvenirs. 
134 



HOLIDAY GAMES 135 

Lincoln's day 

Recite poems about Lincoln. Tell stories 
about him. Explain why "Uncle Tom's 
Cabin" is a suitable book to read on this 
day. 

If possible give tableaux suited to the 
occasion. Those taken from Uncle Tom's 
Cabin are eminently suitable. 

VALENTINE PARTY 

The evening is opened with the playing 
of a game of hearts. Each lady receives a 
red paper heart, and is requested to write 
her name on the back of it. The hearts 
are shuffled and put in a bowl; the men's 
hearts are put in another bowl. A lady 
choses a heart from the men's bowl, then a 
man chooses from the ladies' bowl. The 
lady is partner for the evening of the man 
whose heart she drew and vice versa. 

Valentines are given, and are read aloud 
by the recipient. Comic ones are admissi- 
ble if not vulgar. Valentine mottoes also 
are given. 

Washington's birthday 

A Martha Washington party in costume 
with a supper in Colonial time style. 
Dance the Minuet and old-time dances. 



136 HOLIDAY GAMES 

FOR APRIL FIRST 

This is April Fool's Day. It may be 
made the occasion of a party. Games 
suitable to the occasion are played ; 
among them pinning a tail to the picture 
of a tailless donkey fastened on the wall. 
This may be drawn by one of the children. 
Tails are slightly pinned on the children 
among themselves. April fool candy is 
served, and glasses are offered which ap- 
pear to have lemonade in them, but which 
are so made that no liquor can be drunk 
from them, etc. The one who is not fooled 
all evening receives a prize — the funnier it 
is the better. It may be a "nigger doll" or 
the like. A donkey is given as a booby 
prize to the one most often fooled. This 
fooling can be done in any way which sug- 
gests itself. 

EASTER EGG PARTIES'" 

Color hard-boiled eggs and hide them. 
Give your little guests pretty baskets and 
let them hunt for the eggs, or give each a 
large wooden spoon to spoon them up. If 
you live in the country roll eggs down 
hill at one place as a target at the foot of 
it. 

Draw a bunny holding an egg. Pin it 
to the wall. The one who, blindfolded, 



HOLIDAY GAMES 137 

succeeds in putting a pin in the egg re- 
ceives eggs as presents. 

FLAG DAY 

Display flags liberally. Tell stories about 
the American Flag. Sing "America," 
''Star-Spangled Banner," etc. Salute "Old 
Glory." 

a Hallowe'en party 

The usual Hallowe'en tricks are tried 
such as the following : A ring, a piece of 
money and a thimble are hidden; the play- 
er who finds the ring will be first married, 
or these articles may be baked in a cake 
which is cut and distributed. The one get- 
ting the money will be prosperous, the get- 
ter of the thimble industrious, the getter of 
the ring will soon be married. 

BOBBING FOR APPLES 

Bobbing for apples. All children like 
this. In a tub of water several apples 
float. The children try to capture them 
with their teeth. 

FLOATING NEEDLES 

Grease needles and let them float in a 
bowl of water, upon which tissue paper is 



138 HOLIDAY GAMES 

laid. Each child has his, or her, own 
needle. It is amusing to watch the action 
of the needle when the paper sinks — as it 
does when it becomes saturated — the 
needles rush about. 

CANDLE AND LOOKING-GLASS 

Each person in turn walks downstairs 
backwards, alone in the dark, with a look- 
ing-glass in one hand and a lighted candle 
in the other. The future husband or wife 

will be seen ? Or, run around the 

house three times with your mouth full of 
water — at midnight. 

Melted lead poured into water results 
in queer figures which sometimes resem- 
ble initials ; these are supposed to be those 
of the future husband or wife. 

The water charm : put three dishes on a 
table — one empty, one containing clean wa- 
ter, one soapy water; the blindfolded ones 
put a finger into one of the dishes, the 
position of which are changed after the 
blindfolding. If he puts his finger in clear 
water a happy marriage will result. 

APPLE GAMES 

Put a basket on the wall halfway up. 
The players stand at a distance and throw 



HOLIDAY GAMES 139 

apples into the basket. A score is kept, 
the one putting- the greatest number of 
apples into the basket receiving the prize. 

THANKSGIVING PARTY 

This may be held in a barn. The stalls 
may be draped with bright-colored goods 
and decorated with greens, or autumn 
leaves. Japanese lanterns are strung 
about. Chrysanthemums should be the 
table flowers. Old-time dances are danced, 
such as the Virginia Reel, Money Musk, 
etc. Pumpkin pies, grapes, nuts and 
cider are served as a part of the collation. 

KRIS KRINGLE PARTY 

A Kris Kringle party may be taken in 
the open — in sleighs. The driver is dressed 
as Kris Kringle. After a sleigh ride in 
large sleighs drawn by horses decorated to 
represent reindeer, the party returns to an 
elaborate Christmas supper. 

Christmas songs should be sung, well- 
known Christmas carols, as " 'Tis the Eve 
of Christmas Day," "Merry Bells," "The 
Christmas Tree," etc. 

Shadow pantomimes are a good form of 
entertainment for Christmas. They should 
carry out the idea of the festival. Any of 



140 HOLIDAY GAMES 

the Merry Games given in the book may 
be played. The winter games are espe- 
cially recommended. 

SNOWBALL BATTLE 

"Throw ball at a target and keep a score, 
<or build a snow fort and make it the 
-target. 

CHRISTMAS GUESSES 

Suspend mistletoe from a chandelier. 
Let the children in turn guess how many 
berries are on the suspended bush. The 
one guessing most correctly wins a prize. 

"The Night Before Christmas" is read. 
As the names are named the children arise 
and turn around, then sit down again. 
Santa Claus is mentioned last. When he 
is spoken of all change seats. The story 
teller tries to secure a seat. If she suc- 
ceeds there is an odd player. He must 
tell a funny story. 

JACK FROST 

Sing and act out the Jack Frost song, — 
"Jack Frost is a roguish little fellow, " 

etc., etc. The music and words may be 

obtained at a music store. 

Jesus Bids Us Shine. Christmas Is 

Coming. Christmas Greeting. 



HOLIDAY GAMES 



LEAD TEST 



Drop melted lead into cold water. It 
assumes queer shapes. Hallowe'en stories 
are told. 

APPLE TESTS 

Peel an apple without breaking the peel- 
ing. Throw the skin over your shoulder 
and see what shape it assumes. 

Apples are tied to a string and hung 
from the chandelier. The boys and girls 
try to bite these without touching them 
with their hands. 

A PUMPKIN GAME 

A pumpkin is scooped out and a candle is 
placed inside: the light shines through the 
holes in the pumpkin. Pumpkin favors 
are given. 

All dance around the pumpkin and sing 
"Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater," etc. 

THE CHRISTMAS DINNER 

The Christmas dinner is a family re- 
union, generally ; sometimes a friend is in- 
vited, If he be a homeless one so much 
the better. The turkey, of course, is part 
of the dinner, and pumpkin and mince 



142 HOLIDAY GAMES 

pies and plum pudding are served, each 
guest making a choice ; rosy-cheeked ap- 
ples, grapes, nuts and cider form a last 
course. The Christmas presents may be 
laid at the plates or may be dispensed 
from the Christmas tree — preferably the 
latter. 

One of the party impersonates Santa 
Claus. Yule-tide songs are sung and old- 
time Christmas games are played. Stock- 
ings hung behind curtains and in odd 
places hold candy, nuts, raisins, etc. These 
may be made of silk or any pretty ma- 
terial. The guests hunt for these. 

SUGGESTIONS FOR GAMES TO BE PLAYED AT 
CHRISTMAS TIME OR AT THANKSGIVING 

Put a very large pumpkin in the center 
of the room or on a grass plot. The play- 
ers stand at a distance. Each one runs 
and jumps over the pumpkin, using both 
feet. In so doing a score is kept. The 
one jumping over with both feet together 
the oftenest wins the pumpkin. Or dance 
about the pumpkin; when a small child sit- 
ting on it claps or whistles all stop. She 
selects a player with whom she changes 
place. This game may be played by adults, 
the player standing near the pumpkin. 



CHAPTER XV 
OUTDOOR GAMES FOR GIRLS 

BASKET BALL — BOX BALL — GUESS BALL — 
TARGET BALL — STRING BALL 

BASKET BALL FOR GIRLS 

Basket Ball is a good form of exercise 
for women. 

Draw a circle on the ground six feet in 
diameter. A line is drawn across the cen- 
ter. This is the throwing line. A player 
stands in the circle and throws the basket 
ball from her line to other lines, the ball 
scoring according to its landing place. 

The lines drawn across the throwing 
space must be parallel with the throwing 
line in the circle. For younger girls the 
lines should be ten, fourteen or twenty feet, 
according to the age, from the forward 
edge of the circle. 

The players of each team throw in rapid 
succession. Each player has but one turn, 
unless the ball strikes some object before 
touching the ground, when another trial is 

143 



144 GAMES FOR GIRLS 

allowed. At starting a thrower must stand 
in the circle and toe the throwing line, 
drawn across the center of the circle. In 
completing the throw she must not fall or 
step forward over the outer line of the cir- 
cle in front of her. If at any part of the 
throw, from start to finish, the thrower 
be out of the circle it is considered a foul 
and does not score, the number of players 
in the team being counted as one less when 
the total or average is figured. For each 
throw to the first line or any point between 
it and the next line, a team scores one 
point. For each throw to the second line 
or between it and the next line a team 
scores three points. For each throw to or 
beyond the third line, a team scores five 
points. The team averaging or adding the 
largest score wins first place in the game. 
There are other forms of basket ball 
games, where girls throw balls into bas- 
kets fastened at a given height. 



Boxes are placed on the floor or ground 
in a row. The players in line stand at a 
distance from these, each player facing a 
box. The play is begun at the right of the 
line and each tries to toss her ball into 
the box. When one succeeds in doing this, 
all run except the one into whose box the 



GAMES FOB GIRLS 145 

ball fell. She picks up the ball, and tries 
to throw it so as to strike one of the play- 
ers (of course a soft ball is used). If she 
fails a stone is put into her box. The game 
is continued by the same player, but she 
tries to throw her ball into another box. 
If she strikes a player with her ball, the 
one who is struck receives a stone, and she 
then starts to throw her ball. The game is 
continued as above. When a player has 
five stones she goes out of the game. 

GUESS BALL 

Use a soft bail. The players form in 
line. One stands before them, with back 
turned, at a distance of several feet. This 
player counts up to a certain number, as 
the ball passes back and forth along the 
line ; as a certain number is called, the hold- 
er of the ball throws it so as to strike one 
of the players. If this player is hit, she 
turns suddenly and tries to guess by the 
attitude of the players which one threw the 
ball. If she guesses correctly, she goes 
to the front. If the ball misses, the throw- 
er changes places with the one she aimed 
at. 

TARGET BALL 

There are so many variations of this 
game that it is impossible to describe them. 



146 GAMES FOR GIRLS 

all. A target is placed and the balls are 
thrown at it ; or several targets at different 
distances may be aimed at by the players. 
A score is kept. The one getting the great- 
est number of points wins the game. Or 
sides may be formed. 

BOMBARDMENT 

This game is played with balls and In- 
dian clubs — half as many as there are 
players. Bean bags may be used instead of 
balls. A score is decided upon, and an 
umpire keeps the record. Each player, in 
throwing, tries to knock down a club, and 
this club counts for one or more, up to the 
number decided upon by the players. 

STRING BALL 

The players stand in a circle around the 
ball, which is hung by a string — in the 
open — from the branch of a tree. A player 
tries to strike it with her hand. Another 
tries to catch it before she strikes it again. 
If the ball is not caught the player scores 
one. She plays until it is caught. Each 
has a turn. 



CHAPTER XVI 
PASTIMES FOR CHILDREN 

SUN DIAL MOTHER, MAY I PLAY? BLIND 

MAN'S BUFF TUG OF WAR VARI- 
OUS BALL GAMES 

SUN DIAL 

Draw a large circle; intersect this with 
lines like the spokes of a wheel, dividing- it 
into twelve sections, and number them. 

Put a blindfolded player in the center 
for a hub, and turn him about a number of 
times, as is done in "Blindman's Buff." 
He then walks about. The number of the 
space he stops upon, after repeating a silly 
verse to the end, is put upon his score card. 
If he goes outside the circle, even with one 
foot, he receives no points. 

The player who gets the greatest num- 
ber of points in a given time, wins the 
game. 



PASTIMES FOB CHILDREN 



MOTHER, MAY I GO OUT TO PLAY ? 

The mother stands before her children. 
One asks : "Mother, may I go out to 
play?" "No," says the mother, "it is a 
yery wet day." 

"See, mother, the sun shines." 

"Well, be off," says the mother; "but 
make three courtesies before you go." 

The child then does this, the other chil- 
dren doing the same. They all run off and 
return. 

"Why did you run so far?" says the 
mother. "Where did you go, and what 
have you been doing all this time?" 

"Brushing Mary's hair," says the first 
player. 

"What did she give you for so doing?" 

"A silver penny." 

"Where's my share of it?'' 

"The cat ran awav with it." 

"Where's the cat?" 

"In the wood." 

"Where's the wood?" 

"Fire burnt it." 

"Where's the fire?" 

"Water quenched it." 

"Where's the water?" 

"Moo cow drank it." 

"Where's the moo cow?" 

"Sold it for a silver penny. " 



PASTIMES FOB CHILDREN 149 

"What did you do with the money ?" 

"Bought nuts with it." 

"What did you do with them?" 

"You can have the nut shells, if you 
like." 

The last words being rude, the mother 
chases the child or children, according to 
the manner in which the game is played. 
She asks as she does this, "Where's my 
money ?" 

The one addressed answers, "You may 
have the nut shells." 

The mother tries to catch one or more 
of the children to inflict punishment. The 
punishments are usually funny acts of some 
kind. 

GARDEN SCAMP 



All but two players form a ring, and 
clasp hands. The garden is enclosed by 
the players. One of the odd players will be 
the scamp ; another player is the gardener. 
He moves around outside of the circle, and 
says, "Who let you into my garden?" The 
scamp replies, "No one," and starts to run. 
The gardener follows his lead in and out 
among the players, who lift their hands to 
allow this. If the scamp be caught he 
becomes the gardener. 

The scamp can lead the gardener a lively 
chase, for he can play leap frog, or turn 



150 PASTIMES FOR CHILDREN 

somersaults, if he so desires. The gar- 
dener must imitate him. 



DO THIS, DO THAT 

The players face each other in two lines, 
the leader being in the center. When he 
says, "Do this." they obey, and when he 
quickly follows his first order by saying, 
"Do that," the "that" being another act, 
they must again obey at once. If any one 
is slow, he must exchange places with the 
leader. The fun of the game depends upon 
the antics of the one in the ring. 

WEATHER COCK 

This is an instructive game, as it teaches 
children direction. Each child represents a 
point of the compass — north, south, east, 
west. When a leader calls : "Which way 
does the wind blow ?" a child of whom this 
is asked, points either to the north, south, 
east or west, according to the name given 
him. 

THE FLOWERS AND THE WIND 

Two parties play this game. They stand 
at a distance apart. The players represent 
flowers. The first one in the line walks to 
the opposite line, and asks of the first one : 
"What flower am I?" Saying this, the 



PASTIMES FOB CHILDREN 151 

flower is ready to run for the wind. An 
odd player stands ready to give chase, if 
the guesser does not guess correctly. The 
wind 3 of course, is told the names of the 
different flowers. Each player has a turn. 

BLIND MAN'S BUFF 

One player is blindfolded, and turned 
about three times, in the center of the 
room. He tries to catch one of the other 
players. If he succeeds, he takes off the 
handkerchief and puts it upon the one 
touched. 

In one form of "Blind Man's Buff," the 
blindfolded one must guess the name of 
the- one he catches before he can remove 
the handkerchief. 

FRENCH BLIND MAN'S BUFF 



In this game the players are numbered, 
and one is blindfolded. Two numbers are 
called out. The ones so numbered run, 
and the blindfolded one tries to catch one 

r of them, or they may run one at a time. 
If the one in the center catches another, he 

I takes that one's place. 

BLIND MAN'S BUFF WITH A WAND 

The players dance around the blindfold- 
ed one until he touches a player with his 



152 PASTIMES FOR CHILDREN J 

wand. When he does this, all stand still. 
The one in the center may ask three ques- 
tions of the one touched. He, replying, 
disguises his voice. If the blindfolded one 
succeeds in guessing whom he questioned, 
he exchanges places with him. 

HIDE-AND-SEEK GAMES 

A player hides, the others seek him. Or 
any object may be hidden in an out-of-the- 
way place, and this is to be found by a 
player. When he succeeds in doing this, 
the handkerchief is taken from his eyes (if 
one is used). Each child has a turn m 
finding the article, the place of hiding be- 
ing changed each time for the new finder. 

FOLLOW OUR LEADER 

The leader walks before a line of play- 
ers and performs ridiculous acts which all 
must imitate. If any player fails to do 
this, he or she is out of the game. The 
leader may make the players perform 
feats like jumping over high places, turn- 
ing somersaults, climbing, etc., if the 'play- 
ers are boys. If among the players there 
are girls, the feats, of necessity, must not 
be too hard. 



PASTIMES FOB CHILDREN 153 

FEATS AND FORFEITS 

The children are required to perform 
certain acts or pay a forfeit. These acts 
are decided upon by a committee before 
the guests, or players, assemble. A few- 
feats may be suggested, such as the rabbit 
hop, leap frog, picking up a stick with the 
teeth while in a kneeling position, etc., or 
the player may be required to repeat "Pe- 
ter Piper," or any ridiculous verses quickly. 
If he does not succeed in doing what is re- 
quired of him, he must — if he is a boy — 
turn a somersault. If the player is a girl, 
she pays a forfeit or stands with her face 
to a corner. 

DUMB MOTIONS 

The players form two sides ; those on 
one side are "masters,'' the others "men." 
Trades are represented, and the men aim 
to keep working so that the masters will 
not take their places. The tradesmen ?o 
through the motions of their trade. The 
master must guess the trade. When he 
does, he exchanges place with the one 
whose trade he guessed. 

WAND TUG OF WAR 

Wooden gymnastic wands are used, half 
as many as there are players. Draw a line 



154 PASTIMES FOR CHILDREN 

across the room or grass; divide the play- 
ers into two divisions, one on each side of 
the line, each player facing his opponent. 
These grasp each other's wand, and at a 
signal begin to tug, but they must not put 
foot into the opponent's territory. If they 
do the struggle ceases. The side wins 
which secures the greatest • number of 
wands. 

CATCH AND PULL TUG OF WAR 

In the "Catch and Pull Tug of War," a 
ring is formed by joining hands and stand- 
ing in a circle, and all tug to break the 
ring. 

NINE PINS 

A player takes his stand in the center 
of the room. The others stand in couples 
a few feet apart. They march around the 
girl or boy in the center. When the music 
stops suddenly, one player of each pair 
goes to the one in front of him. While 
they do this, the one in the center tries to 
secure a place. 

PRELIMINARY BALL 

The players stand in two lines. The 
players" of one line, at a signal, throw the 
balls to those opposite them. They then 



PASTIMES FOB CHILDREN 155 

turn and throw against the wall, if the 
game is played indoors. 

BALL DULL 

The object of this game is to train the 
perceptions, the muscular sense, and the 
* muscles themselves. The weight of the 
ball is suited to the players. The two- 
pound weights are used for girls. 

The couples are far enough apart to al- 
low space for full play. One of each cou- 
ple has a ball for himself and his partner. 
The throwing of the balls to one of the 
opposite side is simultaneous, when a lead- 
er gives the command. 

TIME BALL 

In this game the children are seated. A 
line is drawn near the wall, and two lines 
are drawn to form an aisle. Then the chil- 
dren decide upon the manner of throwing 
the ball. This may be done with either 
hand. The leader stands opposite his aisle 
on the line. At a signal the first player 
in each row runs to the mark in his aisle. 
When he has reached it, the leader, in the 
way previously agreed upon, throws him 
the ball, which he catches and returns. He 
runs back to his seat. This is repeated by 
each player. Then the leader, seating him- 



156 PASTIMES FOB CHILDREN 

self, places the ball before him on the 
floor, or if in the open, on the ground. All 
assume position. The first row doing this 
at a signal, scores a point. This is re- 
peated fifteen times. The row which as- 
sumes position promptly the greatest num- 
ber of times win the game. 

RAILROAD TRAIN 

The players are named for an object on 
a train, as smoke-stack, boiler, baggage car, 
wheels, conductor, etc. One player is the 
train master. He says : "We must hurry 
up and make up a train to go to New 
York City at once. It is a special. We 
will take engine Number 21, some coal and 
wood; the bell must be in good order, and 
the carpet must be swept; the cushions 
dusted ; the beds in the sleeper must be 
made up, etc." When these objects are 
named, the players run up to the starter 
when their names are given, each one put- 
ting his hands on the shoulder of the one 
before him, the first one having put his 
hands upon the starter in the same way. 
When all are in line, the train starts, after 
the signal, which is a bell. The starter 
may imitate the noises a locomotive makes 
as it starts out on its journey. He leads 
up hill and down dale, and the line must 
remain unbroken. The one who breaks the 



PASTIMES FOB CHILDREN 157 

line pays a forfeit or is out of the game. 
The line being mended, continues its jour- 
ney. 

MERRY-GO-ROUND 

Stools are placed close together to form 
a circle, and all the players seat themselves, 
facing inwards, except one player, who 
stands in the center. He tries to secure 
the seat that has been left vacant. This 
is difficult, because the players on the stools 
keep moving to the right from one stool to 
the next, so that the location of the vacant 
seat varies. When the player in the cen- 
ter secures a seat, the one at his left goes 
into the center. If more than thirty are 
playing, it is better to have two vacant 
stools and two players in the center. 

PEBBLE CHASE 

The leader holds a pebble between the 
palms of his hands. The others are 
grouped about him, each with hands ex- 
tended, palm to palm. The leader then 
passes his hands between those of the play- 
ers. No one can tell where he leaves the 
pebble, until some one guesses where it is. 
Each player has a turn. The one receiv- 
ing the pebble is chased by the others. If 
he succeeds in getting to the leader and 
giving the pebble to him before he is 



158 PASTIMES FOB CHILDREN 

caught, he can return to his place; other- 
wise he changes place with the leader. 

HOW MANY MILES TO BABYLON? 

The players, being divided into two lines, 
stand facing each other, with a distance 
of about twelve feet between them. The 
lines pair off, and take hold of hands all 
along the line. 

A dialogue takes place between the lines, 
the players in a line speaking in unison. As 
this is done, they swing their arms and 
rock backward and forward from one foot 
to another, keeping time to the rhythm of 
the words, as follows : 

"How many miles to Babylon?" 

"Three score and ten." 

"Will we be there by candle light?" 

"Yes, and back again." 

"Open your gates and let us through." 

"Not without a beck (courtesy) and a 
boo (bow)." 

"Here's a beck and here's a boo, 

Here's a side and here's a sou ; 

Open your gates and let us through." 

All the players in the first line say : 

"Here's a beck and here's a boo," as they 
suit the action to the word. As they do so, 
they also drop hands and each makes a 
courtesy, with hands at the hips for the 
"beck," and straighten up and make a deep 



PASTIMES FOR CHILDREN 159 

bow forward for the "boo"; assuming an 
upright attitude, then, and bending the 
head sideways to the right for "Here's a 
side," and to the left for "Here's a sou." 

The partners clasp hands, and all run 
forward ten steps, keeping time with the 
rhythm of the words. Then all pass un- 
der the upraised hands, which represent 
the city gates. This is done in four run- 
ning steps, making twelve steps in all. The 
couples who made the gate then turn 
around in four running steps, until they 
face the. first line, when they repeat the 
dialogue as given above, etc. 

PUSS IN THE CORNER 

Corners are selected by some of the 
players ; the others remain in the center of 
the room. The puss in a corner calls to 
the other puss in a corner, "Puss, puss," 
and they try to get to each other's corner 
before these can be taken by the others. 

When this is played outdoors, trees or 
the corners in a fence may be utilized as 
were the corners of a room. 



CHAPTER XVII 

INDOOR GAMES FOR YOUNG CHIL- 
DREN. 

PATCH WORK PEANUT GAME SOAP BUB- 
BLES CANDY PULLS COOK AND PEAS 

MAGIC MUSIC — ZOOLOGY 

PATCHWORK 

The hostess cuts pictures into four parts 
and mixes them in a box, or loosely places 
them in the center of a table. Then each 
guest takes four and puts them together 
as a picture. The effect is very funny at 
times. Some of the children's picture 
blocks may be used for this game, using 
four sets at a time. 

QUOTATIONS 

The girl or boy host gives each guest, on 
a slip of paper, the beginning of a quota- 
tion. All go about the room looking for 
the end of the quotations, which are hid- 

160 



FOB YOUNG CHILDREN 161 

den in different places in the room; or, if 
older children are playing this game, pen- 
cils and paper are given them, and they 
write the full quotation. 

TABLE GAME 

A penny party furnishes amusement for 
an evening. With the invitations is sent a 
request for each guest to bring a penny, 
not for an admission fee, but for use. For 
each guest there are provided two cards 
and a pencil ; one card is blank ; the other 
has a list of the things to be found on a 
penny. The list is numbered, and each per- 
son is expected to name as many as he can, 
prizes being awarded for the best and poor- 
est list. 

Find— -i. Top of hilL 2. Place of wor- 
ship. 3, An animal. 4. A fruit. 5. A com- 
mon fruit. 6. Links between absent friends. 
7. Union of youth and old age. 8. A vege- 
table. 9. Flowers. 10, What we fight for. 
11. Metal. 12. A messenger. 13. A weap- 
on of defense. 14. A weapon of warfare. 
15. A body of water. 16. A beverage. 
17. What young ladies want. 18. The most 
popular State. 19. What men work for. 
20. Sign of royalty. 21. A jolly dog. 

The answers are: 1. Brow. 2. Temple. 
3. Hare (hair). 4. Date. 5. Apple. 6. Let- 
ters. 7. 1894 (The date of the penny). 



162 FOB YOUNG CHILDREN 

8. Ear. 9. Tulips (two lips). 10. Liberty. 
11. Copper. 12. One cent (sent). 13. Shield. 
14. Arrow. 15. Sea (c). 16. Tea (t). 
17. Beau (bow). 18. United States (matri- 
mony). 19. Money. 20. Crown. 21. A 
merry cur (America). 

Usually a half hour is allowed for filling 
out the blank cards, and after that some 
time for correcting the lists and awarding 
prizes. 

A DOLL SHOW 

This is a form of entertainment always 
liked by the younger children. It can be 
made amusing, as well as instructive, by 
having those representing the show to take 
the part of dolls of the different nations. 
When the invitations are sent out, it 
should be specified what part each little 
guest will take. Some of the guests may 
be the audience if they prefer, or adults 
may be the on-lookers. Each little guest 
receives a doll as a souvenir. 

Another form of doll party is where the 
children bring dolls dressed by themselves. 
The doll whose gown is most neatly made 
receives a prize. 

There may also be dolls made of beets, 
carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, etc., by using 
sticks, cloves, etc., with the vegetables 
named. The results are very funny. These 
are put on exhibition on the table and an 



FOB YOUNG CHILDREN 163 

umpire decides for which prizes are to be 
given. 

PEANUT GAME 

The little hostess or host selects two 
leaders. These choose sides. Two large 
rugs are placed near together on the floor. 
A bowl of peanuts is placed in the center 
of each. The little players which can soon- 
est dispose of their peanuts two inches 
apart on their rug, are the winners. The 
hostess gives the signal at the beginning 
and end of the contest. The sides may 
work simultaneously or singly, according 
as the game is played, individually or by 
sides as a whole. The peanuts are eaten 
at the end of the game, and a prize of a 
box of candy is given the winning side or 
child. This is passed about to the guests. 

PEANUT HUNT 

Some peanuts must be secretly hidden in 
out-of-the-way places — in bric-a-brac, etc. 
Give a pretty bag or box to be used as a 
receptacle for the peanuts, and then the 
hunt begins. The ■ one getting the most 
peanuts, receives a prize. He may eat all 
the peanuts he finds, after the contest is 
decided, but a lesson in unselfishness is here 
possible. The hostess may suggest sharing 
the peanuts with one who tried hard to 



164 FOR YOUNG CHILDREN 

find many nuts, but did not succeed ; or, if 
there be a lame child, or one deformed, he 
or she should receive some of the nuts of 
the winners, and of those the others find. 

A PEANUT PARTY 



The invitations have peanuts painted on 
them, so have little menu cards, which are 
placed at each plate at the table. These 
designs are often funny, and even gro- 
tesque, as they represent brownies, etc. 
Peanuts are strung as necklaces, brace- 
lets, etc. Some of the sandwiches are 
made of mashed peanuts — called peanut 
butter — and they are delicious. Peanut 
candy is served, and at the end peanuts are 
jabbed for with hat pins. For this all 
gather at different little tables, or turns are 
taken at one table, the peanuts being piled 
up in the center. A box of candy is given 
the winner. This he or she, of course, 
passes among the guests. 

a children's fair 

This may be made not only enjoyable, 
but charitable as well. Tables holding 
fancy work — preferably the work of the 
children — candies (home-made), groceries, 



FOB YOUNG CHILDREN 165 

aprons, pen-wipers, iron-holders, hand- 
painted cards, capes, etc., etc., may be 
sold. Rebecca sits at the Well — a well of 
lemonade. A grab-bag, an orange tree, 
with saleable parcels on it. A post-office, 
where letters are sold, and finally a refresh- 
ment table or tables, the little girls and 
boys serving as waiters, in costumes. 

SOAP BUBBLES 

Making bubbles requires no great effort 
of the mind or body. Clay pipes for the 
players are furnished by the hostess. Bowls 
are filled with water which is quite soapy. 
The pipes show the colors of the side or 
sides, being tied with ribbons of different 
colors. The game contest may be decided 
in two ways. Either the one who makes 
the largest bubble is winner, or the one 
making the most bubbles in a given time. 
The sides or individuals may play in turn. 

A POP-CORN PARTY 

A pop-corn party, of necessity, like a 
candy pull, must be held in the kitchen. 
This can be decorated for the occasion. 
Each little guest brings an apron to be 
donned before the "popping" begins. 

First, shell the corn. 



166 FOR YOUNG CHILDREN 

Second, take a dipper full of corn and 
"pop" it. This popping is done in a pan 
over a clear fire. 

Third, divide into parts, when done. 

Fourth, sprinkle some with cochineal, if 
pink corn is desired. 

Fifth, string the pop-corn on threads. A 
needle is used to do this. Necklaces, brace- 
lets, and boys' chains may be so made. 

Each child receives a handsome cornu- 
copia or box as a receptacle for his pop- 
corn. 

CANDY PULL 

Candy ready to pull may be bought at a 
candy store, or molasses may be boiled at 
home until it is ready to pull, when the 
hands are greased and the pulling begins. 
As suggested for a pop-corn party, the 
kitchen or dining-room is the best place in 
which to give a party of this kind. It may 
be decorated to look well, and the children 
doubtless would enjoy their play here more 
than in the parlor. 

A BABY SHOW 

This may be of dolls or real babies. You 
can borrow the babies for the occasion. A 
committee decides which is the handsom- 
est baby, which the best-natured, etc. Rat- 



FOB YOUNG CHILDREN 167 

tiers, toys, etc., are given the babies, or you 
can have your parents and other lady 
friends take the part of babies. Put a bib 
on them when they go to supper. 

MISS CHILDREN 

The little players sit or stand round the 
room in a circle. The leader assigns to 
each some musical instrument, as harp, 
flute, violincello, trombone, etc., and also 
selects one for himself. Some well-known 
tune is then given out, say "Yankee Doo- 
dle," and the players all begin to play 
accordingly, each doing his best to imi- 
tate, both in sound and action, the instru- 
ment which has been assigned to him, the 
effect being generally extremely harmoni- 
ous. The leader commences with his own 
instrument, but without any warning sud- 
denly ceases, and begins instead to per- 
form on the instrument assigned to one of 
the players. Such player is bound to no- 
tice the change, and forthwith to take the 
instrument just abandoned by the leader,, 
incurring a forfeit if he fails to do so. 

THE COOK WHO DOESN'T LIKE PEAS 

The fun of this game depends on a fair 
proportion of the players not being ac- 
quainted with it. The leader begins, ad- 



168 FOB YOUNG CHILDREN 

dressing the first player, "I have a cook 
who doesn't like peas (p's) ; what will you 
give her for dinner?" The person ad- 
dressed, if acquainted with the secret, 
avoids the letter p in his answer, and, for 
example, says, "1 will give her some wal- 
nuts." The question is then asked of the 
second person, who, if unacquainted with 
the trick, is likely enough to offer some deli- 
cacy which contains the letter p; e. g., po- 
tatoes, asparagus, pork, apple-pie, pickled 
cabbage, peanuts, etc., etc. When this oc- 
curs, the offender is called upon to pay a 
forfeit, but the precise nature of his offense 
is not explained to him. He is simply told, 
in answer to his expostulations, that "the 
cook doesn't like p's." When a sufficient 
number of forfeits has been extracted, the 
secret is revealed, and those who have not 
already guessed it, are teased by being told 
(over and over again) that the cook did 
not like p's, and if they would persist in 
giving them to her, they must, of course, 
take the consequences. 

MAGIC MUSIC ANY NUMBER OF PLAYERS 

One player is sent from the room. The 
others decide upon something for him to 
do, but he is not told what it is, though he 
is helped by a noise of some kind on metal, 
or on a musical instrument. When he is 



FOB YOUNG CHILDREN 169 

near an object with which he is to perform 
some feat, the noise is loud. If he touches 
the wrong object, the music is soft. Any 
one of the musical instruments commonly 
used by children may be employed in this 
game. 

ZOOLO-GY ANY NUMBER OF PLAYERS 

The leader says : "Of what animal am I 
thinking?" He tells that the animal has a 
certain number of legs, and gives other 
points of a like nature. From this descrip- 
tion the guessing is done. When a player 
guesses, the animal correctly, he scores a 
point. Each player has a turn. The game 
is played until it loses its interest. 



CHAPTER XVIII 

OUT-DOOR GAMES FOR YOUNG 
CHILDREN 

BEAN BAG GAMES SKIPPING THE ROPE 

VARIOUS TAG GAMES CROSSING 

THE BROOK 

TARGET BEAN BAG 

The bags are thrown at targets. A score 
is made out. A prize is given the one get- 
ting the best score. 

Throwing the bean bag over the head 
is another form of Bean Bag Game. It 
must be caught by one standing back of 
the tosser. The one who catches it be- 
comes the tosser. 

BOX BEAN BAG 

This game consists of tosses of the bean 
bag into boxes. The player stands at a 
distance. The one being successful in his 
throws the most times is the winner. 

170 



FOB YOUNG CHILDREN 171 



BEAN BAG GAMES 

An equal number of players out of doors. 
Two parties are formed, divided by eight 
or ten feet of space. The umpire gives a 
signal, and a player in one line runs to 
the other side — half way, and tosses his 
bag to the one at the end of the line; he 
then takes his place next to this one, and 
the line moves down. 

This is continued, opposite sides taking 
turns. Then the game is reversed, until 
the player who first played is in his origi- 
nal place. 

BEAN BAG RACE 

A bean bag is placed on the ground and 
another at some distance from it. Two 
players, at a given signal, run to these 
bags. The one who can catch the bag and 
get to the staff placed near the umpire is 
the winner, Sides may be scored instead 
of the individual players. 

BEAN BAG AT THE SEASHORE 

At the seashore stones or blocks of wood 
may be substituted for the bags. A ring is 
drawn on the ground and the players take 
sides. The leader of each side toes a start- 
ing line across the ground at a distance 



172 FOB YOUNG CHILDREN 

from the circle. Bean bags or stones are 
thrown into the center of this, each one 
having a turn. 

The side getting the biggest score is the 
winning one. 

SKIPPING THE ROPE 

Skipping the rope is an admirable exer- 
cise for girls and boys. There should be 
a spring in doing this. When a jumper 
comes down on his heels, instead of jump- 
ing from his toes, he is apt to make the 
skipping injurious by jarring his back. The 
players jump in turn over a long rope 
turned by two of the players. Each has a 
turn. A score is kept of the number of 
times a player can do this. Sides may 
be formed, or the jumpers may see how 
many times they can jump over the rope 
in succession. 

HOME TAG ANY NUMBER OF PLAYERS 

The chaser tries to tag the runners be- 
fore they can "get home," or to a given 
place. If he succeeds, the one tagged is 
"It" 

SECRET TAG 

Is played by not telling who is "It." He 
chases the other players and tries to tag 



FOB YOUNG CHILDREN 173 

one of them. If he succeeds, the one who 
was tagged becomes "It." 

JAPANESE TAG 

In this game the one tagged must place 
his hand on the spot of his body where 
the tagger tagged him ; doing this, he must 
chase the other players until he tags one 
of them. 

CROSSING THE BROOK 

This is a favorite game with little chil- 
dren. 

A place is marked off and named "The 
Brook" — we will say it is three feet wide. 

The players run and try to jump the 
brook. When all have jumped over, they 
stand and jump backwards. The one who 
jumps into the brook instead of across it 
is out of the game. 



CHAPTER XIX 
SINGING GAMES FOR CHILDREN 

MOON AND STARS BOLOGNA MAN ORCHES- 
TRA — JACK BE NIMBLE OATS, PEAS, 

BEANS FARMER IN THE DELL 

LONDON BRIDGE, ETC. 

ORCHESTRA 

This is a very noisy game. The conduc- 
tor names his players for instruments, and 
tells them in pantomime how to play. 
He then orders them to tune up. They 
do so, producing a terrible discord. Then 
the baton is waved by the conductor, and 
the musicians imitate the sounds of their 
instruments, while also imitating the move- 
ments assigned them by the conductor. The 
result is very funny. 

CHARLEY OVER THE WATER 

A player becomes "Charlie." He stands 
in the center ; the others form a circle 
about him, and dance, repeating the rhyme : 
174 



SINGING GAMES 175 

"Charlie over the water, 
Charlie over the sea, 
Charlie caught a black-bird, 
He can't catch me." 

When the verse is ended, all the play- 
ers try to stop before Charlie can tag 
them. If they succeed in doing this, 
Charlie remains in the ring and the verse 
is repeated, etc. The tagged one takes his 
place and he enters the ring. 

JACK BE NIMBLE 

"Jack, be nimble, 
Jack, be quick, 
Jack jumped over the candlestick." 

A candlestick is placed on the floor. The 
players in turn jump over it, using both 
feet in so doing. Any other object may 
be substituted for the candlestick. 

One of the players sings the verse and 
when the last line is reached the jump is 
made. 

mary/s little lamb 

This is a great favorite with the young 
folks. When everything else has become 
tiresome, some one starts the first line of 
the verse: 

Mary had a little lamb, 

Fleece as white as snow, etc. 



176 SINGING GAMES 

All sing, and on the second verse being 
reached the last syllable of the first line is 
dropped, then the next to the last, the 
third, the fourth, and so on, until the line 
is totally omitted. The aim of the sing- 
ers is to keep exact time, counting a beat 
for each omitted syllable, and any one 
whose voice breaks in when all should be 
silent, pays a forfeit. The same can be 
done with "John Brown's Body," repeat- 
ing the first verse and omitting syllable 
after syllable at the end of the first line 
until there is nothing left to sing but the 
chorus. 

THE SNAIL 

Holding hands, the children form a line, 
singing the following words ; they wind up 
in a spiral, following the first child, who 
is the largest one, and represents the snail's 
head. The others huddle together to form 
the shell into which the snail creeps. The 
motion is slow, for the saying "creeps like 
a snail," is proverbial. 

Hand in hand you see us well, 
Creep like a snail into his shell, 

Ever nearer, ever nearer, 
Ever closer, ever closer. 

Very snug indeed you dwell, 
Snail, within your tiny shell. 

Hand in hand you see us well, 

Creep like a snail out of his shell, 



SINGING GAMES 177 

Ever farther, ever farther, 

Ever wider, ever wider, 
Who'd have thought this tiny shell, 

Could have held the snail so well? 

With the last verse the creeping out of 
the shell is accomplished. 



OATS, PEAS, BEANS 

A circle is formed. One player stands 
in the center. After singing the first four 
lines, all drop their hands. After this they 
imitate the motions suggested by the song. 
At the end of the verse they turn around 
several times, and then, joining hands, sing 
the chorus, standing still, for the last two 
lines. Then the one in the center chooses 
"one in," and returns herself to the circle. 
The game goes on as before. 

Oats, peas, beans and barley grows, 
Oats, peas, beans and barley grows, 
Nor you nor I nor nobody knows, 
How oats, peas, beans and barley grows. 

Thus the farmer sows his seed, 
Thus he stands and takes his ease, 
Stamps his foot and clasps his hands, 
And turn around to view his lands. 

A-waiting for a partner, 
A-waiting for a partner, 
So open the ring and choose one in, 
Make haste and choose your partner. 



78 SINGING GAMES 

Now you're married you must obey. 
You must be true to all you say. 
You must be kind, you must be good, 
And keep your wife in kindling wood. 



MULBERRY BUSH 

The players stand in a circle clasping 
hands, and circle round, singing the first 
verse. In the second and alternate verses, 
the action indicated by the lines is given in 
pantomime. In all verses the players spin 
around rapidly, each in her own place, on 
the repetition of the refrain, "So early in 
the morning." 

Here we go round the mulberry bush, 
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush, 

Here we go round the mulberry bush, 
So early in the morning! 

This is the way we wash our clothes, 

We wash our clothes, we wash our clothes, 

This is the way we wash our clothes, 
So early Monday morning. 

This is the way we iron our clothes, 
We iron our clothes, we iron our clothes, 

This is the way we iron our clothes, 
So early Tuesday morning. 

This is the way we scrub the floor, 

We scrub the floor, we scrub the floor, 

This is the way we scrub the floor, 
So early Wednesday morning. 



SINGING GAMES 1T9 

This is the way we mend our clothes, 
We mend our clothes, we mend our clothes, 

This is the way we mend our clothes, 
So early Thursday morning. 

This is the way we sweep the house, 
We sweep the house, we sweep the house, 

This is the way we sweep the house, 
So early Friday morning. 

Thus we play when our work is done,- 
Our work is done, our work is done, 

Thus we play when our work is done, 
So early Saturday morning. 

ITISKIT, ITASKET 

All the players but one stand in a circle 
with clasped hands ; the odd player, carry- 
ing a handkerchief, runs around on the 
outside of the circle, singing: 

Itiskit, itasket, 

A green and yellow basket ; 

I wrote a leter to my love 

And on the way I dropped it. 

Some one of you has picked it up 

And put it in your pocket; 

It isn't you — it isn't you 

The last phrase is repeated until the 
player reaches one behind whom he wishes 
to drop the handkerchief, when he says, 
"It is you," and immediately starts on a 
quick run around the circle. The one be- 



180 SINGING GAMES 

hind whom the handkerchief was dropped 
picks it up and at once starts around the 
circle in the opposite direction, the object 
being to see which of the two shall first 
reach the vacant place. The one who is 
left out takes the handkerchief for the next 
round. 

Should a circle player fail to discover 
that the handkerchief has been dropped be- 
hind him until the one who has dropped it 
has walked or run entirely around the cir- 
cle, he must yield his place in the circle to 
the handkerchief man, changing places with 
him. 

FARMER IN THE DELL 

The players stand in a circle. One of 
their number is in the center. He is the 
farmer in the dell. At the singing of the 
second verse, where the farmer takes a 
wife, the center player beckons to another, 
who goes in and stands by her. The cir- 
cle keeps moving while each verse is sung, 
and each time the player last called in 
beckons to another; that is, the wife beck- 
ons one into the circle as the child, the 
child beckons one for the nurse, etc., until 
six are standing in the circle. When the 
lines, "The rat takes the cheese," are sung, 
the players inside the circle and those 
forming it jump up and down and clap 



SINGING GAMES 181 

their hands in a grand confusion, and the 
game breaks up. 

The farmer in the dell, 
The farmer in the dell, 

Heigh-o! the cherry-oh! 
The farmer in the dell. 

The farmer takes a wife, 
The farmer takes a wife, 

Heigh-o ! the cherry-oh ! 
The farmer takes a wife. 

The wife takes a child, 
The wife takes a child, 

Heigh-o ! the cherry-oh ! 
The wife takes a child. 

The child takes a nurse, etc. 

The nurse takes a cat, etc, 

The cat takes a rat, etc. 

The rat takes the cheese, etc. 

The succeeding verses vary only in the 
choice in each, and follow in this order. 

THE KING OF FRANCE 

The King of France with forty thousand men 
Marched up the hill and then marched down 
again. 

The players stand in two rows or groups 
facing each other. Each group has a lead- 



182 SINGING GAMES 

er, who stands in the center and represents 
a king leading his army. 

The game or play is a simple one of im- 
itation, in which the players perform in 
unison some action first indicated by one 
of the leaders. 

The leaders of the two groups take turns 
in singing the verse, at the same time 
marching forward during the first line of 
the verse, and back again to their places 
during the second line, illustrating the ac- 
tion that is then to be taken by all. The 
verse is then sung by both groups while 
advancing toward each other and retreat- 
ing, performing the movements indicated 
by the leaders. The movements illustrated 
by the leaders may be anything suitable to 
an army of men, the words describing the 
movement being substituted for the line, 
"marched up the hill," thus : 

The King of France with forty thousand men 
Waved his flag and then marched down again. 

The following variations are suggested, 
each of which indicates the movements to 
go with it: 

Gave a salute, etc 
Beat his drum, etc. 
Blew his horn, etc. 
Drew his sword, etc. 
Aimed his gun, etc. 



SINGING GAMES 133 

Fired his gun, etc. 
Shouldered arms, etc. 
Pranced on his horse, etc. 

It is scarcely necessary to say that a real 
flag and drum add much to the martial 
spirit of the game, and if each soldier can 
have a stick or wand over his shoulder for 
a gun, the esprit de corps will be propor- 
tionately enhanced. 

LONDON BRIDGE 

London bridge is falling down, 

Falling down, falling down. 
London bridge is falling down, 

My fair lady! 

Build it up with iron bars, 

Iron bars, iron bars, 
Build it up with iron bars, 

My fair lady ! 

Iron bars will bend and break, 
Bend and break, bend and break, 

Iron bars will bend and break, 
My fair lady! 

Build it up with gold and silver, etc. 
Gold and silver will be stolen away, etc. 
Get a man to watch all night, etc. 
Suppose the man should fall asleep? etc. 
Put a pipe into his mouth, etc. 
Suppose the pipe should fall and break, etc. 
Get a dog to bark all night, etc. 
Suppose the dog should meet a bone? etc. 
Get a cock to crow all night, etc. 



184 SINGING GAMES 

Here's a prisoner I have got, etc. 
What's the prisoner done to you? etc. 
Stole my hat and lost my keys, etc. 
A hundred pounds will set him free, etc. 
A hundred pounds he has not got, etc. 
Off to prison he must go, etc. 

Two of the tallest players represent a 
bridge by facing each other, clasping hands, 
and holding them high for the others to 
pass under. The other players, in a long 
line, each holding the other by the hand or 
dress, pass under the arch while the verses 
are sung alternately by the players repre- 
senting the bridge and those passing under, 
those forming the arch singing the first 
and alternate verses and the last "Off to 
prison." As the words 

"Here's a prisoner I have got," 

are sung, the players representing the 
bridge drop their arms around the one 
who happens to be passing under at the 
time. The succeeding verses are then sung 
to "Off to prison he must go." During 
this last one the prisoner is led off to one 
side to a place supposed to be a prison, 
and is there asked in a whisper or low 
voice to choose between two valuable ob- 
jects, represented by the two bridge play- 
ers, who have previously agreed which 
each shall represent, such as a "diamond 



SINGING GAMES 185 

necklace" or a "gold piano." The prisoner 
belongs to the side which he thus chooses. 
When all have been caught the prisoners 
line up behind their respective leaders (who 
have up to this time been the holders of 
the bridge), clasp each other around the 
waist, and a tug of war takes place, the 
side winning which succeeds in pulling its 
opponent across a given line. 

Where a large number of players are 
taking part, say over ten, the action may 
be made much more rapid and interesting 
by forming several spans or arches to the 
bridge instead of only one, and by having 
the players run instead of walk under. 
There is thus much more activity for each 
player, and the prisoners are all caught 
much sooner. 

SINGING GAMES FOR SMALL 
CHILDREN 

MOON AND MORNING STARS 

This is a Spanish game. A player rep- 
resents the moon ; the rest are stars. The 
moon is placed in the shadow of a tree or 
house. 

The morning stars dance about a child, 
standing on a chair with extended arms, 
to represent the sun just risen. The stars 
dance around the sun, occasionally going 



186 SINGING GAMES 

quite near the moon ; while doing this, they 
sing 

O moon and morning stars, 
O the moon and morning stars 

Who dares to tread — oh, 
Within the shadow? 

The moon tries to catch a star, and the 
one caught becomes the moon. 

WEE BOLOGNA MAN 

Two to forty players. 

The leader recites : 

I'm a wee Bologna Man; 

Always do the best you can 

To follow the wee Bologna Man. 

While doing this he imitates an instru- 
ment of an orchestra. The others imitate 
him. 

This game may be varied, the Bologna 
man imitating animals or birds, or making 
any sound he wishes to make, or he can 
hop and croak like a frog, or imitate the 
motions and noise of an angry cat, or the 
like. 

DRAW A BUCKET OF WATER 

This game is played in groups of four. 
Two players face each other, clasping 



SINGING GAMES 187 

hands at full arms' length. The other two 
face each other in the same way, with their 
arms crossing those of the first couple at 
right angles. Bracing the feet, the cou- 
ples sway backward and forward, singings 
the following rhyme : 

Draw a bucket of water, 

For my lady's daughter. 

One in a rush, 

Two in a rush, 

Please, little girl, bob under the bush. 

When the last line is sung the players 
all raise their arms without unclasping the 
hands, and place them around their com- 
panions, who stoop to step inside. They 
will then be standing in a circle with arms 
around each other's waists. The game 
finishes by dancing in this position around 
the ring, repeating the verse once more. 



CHAPTER XX 
GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 

THOUGHT NUMBERS MYSTICAL NINE 

MAGIC HUNDRED KING AND COUN- 
SELLOR HORSE-SHOE NAILS 

DINNER PARTY PUZZLE BAS- 
KETS AND STONES, ETC. 

HOW TO TELL ANY NUMBER THOUGHT OF 

Ask any person to think of a number, 
say a certain number of dollars ; tell him 
to borrow that sum of some one in the 
company, and add the number borrowed to 
the amount thought of. It will here be 
proper to name the person who lends him 
the money, and to beg the one who makes 
the calculation to do it with great care, 
as he may readily fall into an error, es- 
pecially the first time. Then say to the 
person : "I do not lend you, but give you 
$10 ; add them to the former sum." Con- 
tinue in this manner : "Give the half to 
the poor, and retain in your memory the 
other half." Then add: "Return to the 
188 






GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 189 

gentleman, or lady, what you borrowed^ 
and remember that the sum lent you was 
exactly equal to the number thought of." 
Ask the person if he knows exactly what 
remains ; he will answer "Yes". You must 
then say: "And I know also the number 
that remains; it is equal to what I am 
going to conceal in my hand." Put into* 
one of your hands 5 pieces of money, and 
desire the person to tell how many you 
have got. He will answer 5 ; upon which 
open your hand and show him the 5 pieces. 
You may then say : "I well knew that your 
result was 5 ; but if you had thought of a 
very large number, for example, two or 
three millions, the result would have been 
much greater, but my hand would not have 
held a number of pieces equal to the re- 
mainder." The person then supposing that 
the result of the calculation must be dif- 
ferent, according to the difference of the 
number thought of, will imagine that it is 
necessary to know the last number in or- 
der to guess the result; but this idea is 
false, for, in the case which we have here 
supposed, whatever be the number thought 
of, the remainder must always be 5. The 
reason of this is as follows : The sum, the 
half of which is given to the poor, is noth- 
ing else than twice the number thought of, 
plus 10 ; and when the poor have received 
their part, there remains only the number 



190 GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 

thought of plus 5 ; but the number thought 
of is cut off when the sum borrowed is re- 
turned, and consequently there remains 
only 5. The result may be easily known, 
since it will be the half of the number giv- 
en in the third part of the operation ; for 
example, whatever be the number thought 
of, the remainder will be 36 or 25, accord- 
ing as 72 or 50 have been given. If this 
trick be performed several times success- 
ively, the number given in the third part 
of the operation must be always different; 
for if the result were several times the 
same, the deception might be discovered. 
When the five first parts of the calculation 
for obtaining a result are finished, it will 
be best not to name it at first, but to con- 
tinue the operation, to render it more com- 
plex, by saying for example : "Double the 
remainder, deduct two, add three, take the 
fourth part," etc. ; and the different steps 
of the calculation may be kept in mind, in 
order to know how much the first result 
has been increased or diminished. This ir- 
regular process never fails to confound 
those who attempt to follow it. 

* ANOTHER WAY 

Tell the person to take 1 from the num- 
ber thought of, and then double the re- 
mainder; desire him to take 1 from this 



GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 191 

double, and to add to it the number 
thought of; in the last place, ask him the 
number arising from this addition, and, if 
you add 3 to it, the third of the sum will 
be the number thought of. The application 
of this rule is so easy that it is needless to 
illustrate it by an example. 

A THIRD WAY 

Ask the person to add 1 to the triple 
of the number thought of, and to multiply 
the sum by three; then bid him add to this 
product the number thought of, and the re- 
sult will be a sum from which if 3 be sub- 
tracted, the remainder will be ten times 
the number required; and if the cipher on 
the right be cut off from the remainder, 
the other figure will indicate the number 
sought. 

Example — Let the number thought of be 
6, the triple of which is 18; and if 1 be 
added, it makes 19; the triple of this last 
number is 57, and if 6 be added it makes 
63, from which if 3 be subtracted, the re- 
mainder will be 60; now, if the cipher on 
the right be cut off, the remaining figure, 
6, will be the number required. 

A FOURTH WAY 

Tell the person to multiply the number 
thought of by itself ; then desire him to add 



192 GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 

I to the number thought of, and to multi- 
ply it also by itself; in the last place, ask 
him to tell the difference of these two 
products, which will certainly be an odd 
number, and the least half of it will be the 
number required. 

Let the number thought of, for example, 
be 10 ; which, multiplied by itself, gives 
too ; in the next place, 10 increased by I is 
II ; which, multiplied by itself makes 121; 
and the difference of these two squares is 
21, the least half of which, being io, is 
the number thought of. 

HOW TO TELL NUMBERS THOUGHT OF 

If one or more numbers thought of be 
greater than 9, we must distinguish two 
cases ; that in which the number or the 
numbers thought of is odd, and that in 
which it is even. In the first case, ask . 
the sum of the first and second; of the 
second and third ; the third and fourth ; 
and so on to the last; and then the sum 
of the first and the last. Having written 
down all these sums in order, add together 
all those, the places of which are odd, as 
the first, the third, the fifth, etc. ; make 
another sum of all those, the places of 
which are even, as the second, the fourth, 
the sixth, etc. ; subtract this sum from the 
former, and the remainder will be the 



GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 19S 

double of the first number. Let us sup- 
pose, for example, that the five following- 
numbers are thought of: 3, 7, 13, 17, 20, 
which, when added two and two as above, 
give 10, 20, 30, 37, 23 ; the sum of the 
first, third, and fifth is 63, and that of the 
second and fourth is 57; if 57 be sub- 
tracted from 63, the remainder 6, will be 
the double of the first number, 3. Now, if 
3 be taken from 10, the first of the sums, 
the remainder 7, will be the second num- 
ber; and by proceeding in this manner, we 
may find all the rest. 

In the second case, that is to say, if the 
number or the numbers thought of be even, 
you must ask and write down as above, the 
sum of the first and second; that of the 
second and third ; and so on, as before ; but 
instead of the sum of the first and the last, 
you must take that of the second and last; 
then add together those which stand in the 
even places, and form them into a new sum 
apart ; add also those in the odd places, the 
first excepted, and subtract this sum from 
the former, the remainder will be double 
of the second number; and if the second 
number, thus found, be subtracted from the 
sum of the first and second, you will have 
the first number ; if it be taken from that 
of the second and third, it will give the 
third ; and so of the rest. Let the numbers 
thought of be, for example, 3, 7, 13, 17 ; the 



194 GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 

sums formed as above are 10, 20, 30, 24; 
the sum of the second and fourth is 44, 
from which if 30, the third, be subtracted, 
the remainder will be 14, the double of 7, 
the second number. The first therefore is 
3, third 13, and the fourth 17. 

When each of the numbers thought of 
does not exceed 9, they may be easily 
found in the following manner: 

Having made the person add 1 to the 
double of the first number thought of, de- 
sire him to multiply the whole by 5, and 
to add to the product the second number. 
If there be a third, make him double this 
first sum, and add 1 to it, after which, de- 
sire him to multiply the new sum by 5, 
and to add to it the third number. If there 
be a fourth, proceed in the same manner, 
desiring him to double the preceding sum ; 
to add to it 1 ; to multiply by 5 ; to add the 
fourth number; and so on. 

Then ask the number arising from the 
addition of the last number thought of, and 
if there were two numbers, subtract 5 from 
it; if there were three, 55; if there were 
four, 555; and so on; for the remainder 
will be composed of figures, of which the 
first on the left will be the first number 
thought of, the next second, and so on. 

Suppose the numbers thought of be 3, 4, 
6; by adding 1 to 6, the double of the 
first, we shall have 7, which, being multi- 



GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 195 

plied by 5, will give 35 ; if 4, the second 
number thought of, be then added, we shall 
have 39, which doubled gives 78 ; and, if 
we add 1, and multiply 79, the sum, by 5, 
the result will be 395. In the last place, if 
we add 6, the number thought of, the 
sum will be 401 ; and if 55 be deducted 
from it, we shall have, for remainder, 346, 
the figures of which, 3, 4, 6, indicate in 
order the three numbers though of. 

GOLD AND SILVER GAME 

One of the party having in one hand 
a piece of gold and in the other a piece of 
silver, you may tell in which hand he has 
the gold and in which the silver, by the 
following method : Some value, repre- 
sented by an even number, such as 8, must 
be assigned to the gold, and a value rep- 
resented by an odd number, such as 3, 
must be assigned to the silver ; after which, 
desire the person to mulitply the number 
in the right hand by any even number 
whatever, such as 2; and that in the left 
hand by an odd number, as 3 ; then bid him 
add together the two products, and if the 
whole sum be odd, the gold will be in the 
right hand and the silver in the left ; if the 
sum be even, the contrary will be the case. 

To conceal the trick better, it will be 
sufficient to ask whether the sum of the 



196 GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 

two products can be halved without a re- 
mainder; for in that case the total will be 
even, and in the contrary case odd. 

It may be readily seen, that the pieces, 
instead of being in the two hands of the 
same person, may be supposed to be in the 
hands of two persons, one of whom has 
the even number, or piece of gold, and the 
other the odd number, or piece of silver. 
The same operations may then be per- 
formed in regard to these two persons, as 
are performed in regard to the two hands 
of the same person, calling the one priv- 
ately the right and the other the left. 

THE NUMBER BAG 

The plan is to let a person select several 
numbers out of a bag, and to tell him the 
number which shall exactly divide the sum 
of those he has chosen ; provide a small 
bag, divided into two parts, into one of 
which put several tickets, numbered, 6, 9, 
15, 36, 63, 120, 213, 309, etc.; and in 
the other part put as many other tickets 
marked number 3 only. Draw a handful 
of tickets from the first part, and, after 
showing them to the company, put them 
into the bag again, and, having opened it 
a second time, desire any one to take out 
as many tickets as he thinks proper; when 
he has done that, you open privately the 



GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 197 

other part of the bag, and tell him to take 
out of it one ticket only. You may safely 
pronounce that the ticket shall contain the 
number by which the amount of the other 
numbers is divisible; for, as each of these 
numbers can be multiplied by 3, their sum 
total must, evidently, be divisible by that 
number. An ingenious mind may easily 
diversify this exercise, by marking the 
tickets in one part of the bag with any 
numbers that are divisible by 9 only, the 
properties of both 9 and 3 being the same; 
and it should never be exhibited to the 
same company twice without being varied. 

THE MYSTICAL NUMBER NINE 

The discovery of remarkable properties 
of the number 9 was accidentally made, 
more than forty years since, though, we 
believe, it is not generally known. 

The component figures of the product 
made by the multiplication of every digit 
into the number 9, when added together, 
make Nine. 

The order of these component figures is 
reversed after the said number has been 
multiplied by 5. 

The component figures of the amount of 
the multipliers (viz. 45), when added to- 
gether, make Nine. 

The amount of the several products or 



198 GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 

multiples of 9 (viz. 405), when divided by 
9, gives for a quotient, 45; that is, 4 plus 
5 = Nine. 

The amount of the first product (viz. 9), 
when added to the other product, whose 
respective component figures make 9, is 81 ; 
which is the square of Nine. 

The said number 81, when added to the 
above-mentioned amount of the several 
products, or multiples, of 9 (viz. 405), 
makes 486; which, if divided by 9, gives, 
for a quotient, 54 ; that is 5 plus 4 = Nine. 

It is also observable, that the number of 
changes that may be rung on nine bells, is 
362,880; which figures added together, 
make 27 ; that is, 2 plus 7 = Nine. 

And the quotient of 362,880, divided by 
9, will be 40,320; that is, 4 plus o plus 3 
plus 2 plus o = Nine. 

To add a figure to any given number, 
which shall render it divisible by Nine: 
Add the figures named; and the figure 
which must be added to the sum produced, 
in order to render it divisible by 9, is the 
one required. Thus 

Suppose the given number to be 7521 : 
Add these together, and 15 will be pro- 
duced; now 15 requires 3 to render it di- 
visible by 9 ; and that number 3, being 
added to 7521, causes the same divisibility; 
7521 plus 3 gives 7524, and divided by 9, 
gives 836. 



GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 199 

This exercise may be diversified by your 
specifying, before the sum is named, the 
particular place where the figure shall be 
inserted, to make the number divisible by 
9 ; for it is exactly the same thing whether 
the figure be put at the head of the number, 
or between any two of its digits. 

THE MAGIC HUNDRED. 

Two persons agree to take, alternately, 
numbers less than a given number, for ex- 
ample, II and to add them together till 
one of them has reached a certain sum, 
such as 100. By what means can one of 
them infallibly attain to that number before 
the other? The whole secret in this con- 
sists in immediately making choice of the 
numbers, I, 12, 23, 34, and so on, or of a 
series which continually increases by 11, up 
to 100. Let us suppose, that the first per- 
son, who knows the game, makes choice of 
I ; it is evident that his adversary, as he 
must count less than 11, can, at most, reach 
II by adding 10 to it. The first will then 
take 1, which will make 12; and whatever 
number the second may add, the first will 
certainly win, provided he continually add 
the number which forms the complement of 
that of his adversary, to 1 1 ; that is to say, 
if the latter take 8, he must take 3 ; if g r 
he must take 2; and so on. By following 



200 GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 

this method, he will infallibly attain to 89; 
and it will then be impossible for the sec- 
ond to prevent him from getting first to 
100 ; for whatever number the second takes, 
he can attain only to 99; after which the 
first may say — "and 1 makes 100." If the 
second take 1 after 89, it would make 90, 
and his adversary would finish by saying — 
"and 10 makes 100." Between two per- 
sons who are equally acquainted with the 
game, he who begins must necessarily win. 

TO GUESS THE MISSING FIGURE 

To tell the figure a person has struck out 
of the sum of two given numbers : Arbi- 
trarily command those numbers only, that 
are divisible by 9 ; such, for instance, as 36, 
63, 81, 117, 126, 162, 261, 360, 315, and 
432. Then let a person choose any two of 
these numbers ; and, after adding them to- 
gether in his mind, strike out from the sum 
any one of the figures he pleases. After 
he has so done, desire him to tell you the 
sum of the remaining figures ; and it fol- 
lows, that the number which you are 
obliged to add to this amount, in order to 
make it 9 or 18, is the one he struck out. 
Thus : — Suppose he chooses the numbers 
162 and 261, making altogether 423, and 
that he strike out the center figure ; the two 
other figures will, added together, make 7, 



GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 201 

which, to make nine, requires 2, the num- 
ber struck out. 

THE KING AND THE COUNSELLOR 

A King being desirous to confer a liberal 
reward on one of his courtiers, who had 
performed some very important service, de- 
sired him to ask whatever he thought 
proper, assuring him it should be granted. 
The courtier, who was well acquainted with 
the science of numbers, only requested that 
the monarch would give him a quantity of 
wheat equal to that which would arise from 
one grain doubled sixty-three times succes- 
sively. The value of the reward was im- 
mense ; for it will be seen, by calculation, 
that the sixty-fourth of the double progres- 
sion divided by 1 : 2 : 4: 8: 16: 32 : etc., is 
9223372036854775808. But the sum of all 
the terms of a double progression, begin- 
ning with 1, may be obtained by doubling 
the last term, and subtracting from it 1. 
The number of the grains of wheat, there- 
fore, in the present case, will be 18446744- 
07370955 1615. Now, if a pint contains 
9216 grains of wheat, a gallon will contain 
73728; and, as eight gallons make one 
bushel, if we divide the above result by 
eight times 73728, we shall have 31274997- 
41 1295 for the number of the bushels of 
wheat equal to the above number of grains ; 



202 GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 

a quantity greater than what the whole 
earth could produce in several years. 

THE NAILS IN THE HORSE'S SHOE 

A man took a fancy to a horse, which a 
dealer wished to dispose of at as high a 
price as he could ; the latter, to induce the 
man to become a purchaser, offered to let 
him have the horse for the value of the 
twenty-fourth nail in his shoes, reckoning 
one farthing for the first nail, two for the 
second, four for the third, and so on to 
the twenty-fourth. The man, thinking he 
should have a good bargain, accepted the 
offer ; the price of the horse was, therefore, 
necessarily great. By calculating as before, 
the twenty-fourth term of the progression 
i: 2: 4: 8: etc., will be found to be 8388- 
608, equal to the number of farthings the 
purchaser gave for the horse ; the price, 
therefore amounted to £8738 2s. 8d. 

THE DINNER PARTY PUZZLE 

A club of seven agreed to dine together 
every day successively as long as they could 
sit down to table in different order. How 
many dinners would be necessary for that 
purpose? It may be easily found, by the 
rules already given, that the club must dine 
together 5040 times, before they would ex- 



GAMES OF ARITHMETIC 203 

haust all the arrangements possible, which 
would require about thirteen years. 

BASKET AND STONES 

If a hundred stones be placed in a 
straight line, at the distance of a yard from 
each other, the first being at the same dis- 
tance from a basket, how many yards must 
the person walk who engages to pick them 
up, one by one, and put them into the 
basket? It is evident that, to pick up the 
first stone, and put it into the basket, the 
person must walk two yards; for the sec- 
ond, he must walk four ; for the third, six ; 
and so on, increasing by two, to the hun- 
dredth. The number of yards which the 
person must walk, will be equal to the sum 
of the progression, 2, 4, 6, etc., the last 
term of which is 200, (22). But the sum* 
of the progression is equal to 202, the sum 
of the two extremes, multiplied by 50, or 
half the number of terms; that is to say, 
10.100 yards, which makes more than 5^ 
miles. 



CHAPTER XXI 
ONE HUNDRED CONUNDRUMS 

WITTY QUESTIONS FACETIOUS PUZZLES 

READY ANSWERS ENTERTAINING PLAY 

UPON WORDS 

ONE HUNDRED CONUNDRUMS 

He loved her. She hated him, but wo- 
manlike, she would have him, and she was 
the death of him. Who was he ? Answer : 
A flea. 

Why is life the greatest of riddles? Be- 
cause we must all give it up. 

If a church be on fire, why has the organ 
the smallest chance of escape? Because the 
organ cannot play on it. 

Why should a sailor be the best author- 
ity as to what goes on in the moon? Be- 
cause he has been to see (sea). 

What does a cat have that no other ani- 
mal has? Kittens. 

When is a man behind the times ? When 
he's a weak (week) back. 

204 



CONUNDRUMS 205 

What is the difference between a baby 
and a pair of boots? One I was and the 
other I wear. 

Use me well, and I'm everybody ; scratch 
my back and I'm nobody. A looking glass. 

What word becomes shorter by adding a 
syllable to it? Short. 

If a stupid fellow was going up for a 
competitive examination, why should he 
study the letter P? Because P makes ass 
Pass. 

Why is buttermilk like something that 
never happened? Because it hasn't a curd 
(occured). 

Why is the letter O the noisest of all the 
vowels ? Because the rest are in audible. 

Why is a Member of Parliament like a 
shrimp? Because he has M. P. at the end 
of his name. 

Why is a pig a paradox? Because it is 
killed first and cured afterward. 

Why is a bad half-dollar like something 
said in a w T hisper? Because it is uttered, 
but not allowed (aloud). 

Why do black sheep eat less than white 
ones? Because there are fewer of them. 

Why is a barn-door fowl sitting on a 
gate like a half-penny? Because its head 
is on one side and its tail on the other. 

Why is a man searching for the Philoso- 
pher's Stone like Neptune? Because he is. 
a-seeking (sea-king) what never was. 



206 CONUNDRUMS 

Why is the nose placed in the middle of 
the face? Because it's* the scenter (cen- 
ter). 

What is most like a hen stealing? A 
cock robbing (cock robin). 

What is worse than "raining cats and 
dogs"? Hailing omnibuses. 

When is butter " like Irish children ? 
When it is made into little pats. 

Why is a chronometer like thingumbob? 
Because it's a watch-you-may-call-it. 

Of what color is grass when covered with 
snow? Invisible green. 

Name in two letters the destiny of all 
earthly things ? D. K. 

What is even better than presence of 
mind in a railway accident? Absence of 
body. 

What word contains all the vowels in due 
order ? Facetiously. 

Why is a caterpillar like a hot roll ? Be- 
cause its the grub that makes the butterfly. 

What is that which occurs twice in a mo- 
ment, once in a minute, and not once in a 
thousand years ? The letter M. 

What is that which will give a cold, cure 
a cold, and pay the doctor's bill? A 
draught (draft). 

What is that which is neither flesh nor 
bone, yet has four fingers and a thumb ? A 
glove. 



CON UNDR UMS 207 

Why has man more hair than woman? 
Because he is naturally her suitor (hir- 
suter). 

What is that which no one wishes to 
have, yet no one cares to lose? A bald 
head. 

Why is the letter G like the sun? Be- 
cause it is the center of light. 

Why is the letter D like a wedding-ring ? 
Because we cannot be wed without it. 

Why should ladies not learn French? 
Because one tongue is enough for any wo- 
man. 

Which tree is most suggestive of kiss- 
ing ? Yew. 

What act of folly does a washerwoman 
commit? Putting out tubs to catch soft 
water when it rains hard. 

Why should a cabman be brave? Be- 
cause none but the brave deserve the fair 
(fare). 

What is the most difficult surgical op- 
eration? To take the jaw out of a woman. 

Why is it difficult to flirt on board, the 
P. and O. steamers? Because all of the 
mails (males) are tied up in bags. 

What letter made Queen Bess mind her 
P's and Q's? R made her (Armada). 

Why is it an insult to a cock-sparrow to 
mistake him for a pheasant? Because it is 
making game of him. 



208 CON UNDR UMS 

What is that from which the whole may 
be taken, and yet some will remain? The 
word wholesome. 

Why is blind-man's buff like sympathy? 
Because it is a fellow feeling for another. 

When may a man be said to have four 
hands? When he doubles his fists. 

Why is it easy to break into an old man's 
house? Because his gait (gate) is broken 
and his locks are few. 

Why should you not go to New York by 
the 12 150 train? Because it is ten-to-one if 
you catch it. 

Why should the male sex avoid the let- 
ter A ? Because it makes the men mean. 

When does a man sneeze three times? 
When he cannot help it. 

What relation is the doormat to the 
scraper? A step farther. 

Why does a piebald pony never pay toll ? 
Because his master pays it for him. 

Why is the letter S like a sewing-ma- 
chine? Because it makes needles needless. 

What is the difference between a cow 
and a rickety chair? One gives milk and 
the other gives way (whey). 

What flower most resembles a bull's 
mouth ? A cowslip. 

What does a stone become in the water? 
Wet. 

If the alphabet were invited out to dine, 



CONUNDRUMS 209 

what time would U, V, W, X, Y, and Z go- 
They would go after tea. 

When was beef-tea first introduced into 
England? When Henry VIII dissolved the 
Pope's bull. 

What letter is the pleasantest to a deaf 
woman ? A, because it makes her hear. 

When is love a deformity? When it is 
all on one side. 

Why is a mouse like hay? Because the 
cat'll (cattle) eat it. 

Why is a madman equal to two men? 
Because he is one beside himself. 

Why are good resolutions like ladies 
fainting in church? Because the sooner 
they are carried out the better. 

Which is the merriest letter in the alpha- 
bet? U, because it is always in fun. 

What is the difference between a bank- 
rupt and a feather bed? One is hard up 
and the other is soft down. 

What is that word of five letters from 
which, if you take two, only one remains? 
Stone. 

Why is the letter B like a fire ? Because 
it makes oil boil. 

What word is pronounced quicker by 
adding a syllable to it ? Quick. 

Which animal travels with the most, and 
which with the least, luggage? The ele- 
phant the most because he is never without 



210 CONUNDRUMS 

his trunk. The fox and cock the least be- 
cause they have only one brush and comb 
between them. 

Why are bakers the most self-denying 
people? Because they sell what they need 
(knead) themselves. 

Which of the constellations reminds you 
of an empty fireplace? The Great Bear 
(grate bear). 

What relation is that child to its own 
father who is not its own father's son? 
His daughter. 

When does a pig become landed prop- 
erty? When he is turned into a meadow. 

Which is the heavier, the full or the new 
moon? The full moon is a great deal 
lighter. 

Why is an alligator the most deceitful of 
animals? Because he takes you in with an 
open countenance. 

Why are fowls the most profitable of live 
stock? Because for every grain they give 
a peck. 

What is that which comes with a coach, 
goes with a coach, is of no use whatever to 
the coach, and yet the coach can't go with- 
out it? Noise. 

If your uncle's sister is not your aunt, 
what relation is she to you ? Your mother. 

Why does a duck put his head under 
water? For divers reasons. 



CONUNDRUMS 211 

Why does it take it out again ? For sun- 
dry reasons. 

What vegetable products are the most 
important in history? Dates. 

Why is the letter W like a maid of 
honor? Because it is always in waiting. 

What letter is always invisible, yet never 
out of sight? The letter S. 

Why is the letter F like a cow's tail? 
Because it is the end of beef. 

On which side of a pitcher is the handle ? 
The outside. 

What is higher and handsomer when the 
head is off? Your pillow. 

Why is a pig in a parlor like a house on 
fire? Because the sooner it is put out the 
better. 

What is the keynote to good breeding ? B 
natural. 

What is it that walks with its head down- 
wards? A nail in a shoe. 

Why is a lame dog like a schoolboy add- 
ing six and seven together? Because he 
puts down three and carries one. 

Why is the Brooklyn Bridge like merit? 
Because it is very often passed over. 

W r hat did Adam first plant in the Garden 
of Eden? His foot. 

What is Majesty, deprived of its exter- 
nals? A jest. 

How would you make a thin man fat? 



212 CONUNDRUMS 

Throw him out of a second story window 
and let him come down plump. 

What is the difference between a young 
maid of sixteen and an old maid of eighty ? 
One is happy and careless and the other is 
cappy and hairless. 

When was fruit known to use bad lan- 
guage? When the first apple cursed the 
first pair. 

If a man gets up on a donkey, where 
should he get down? From a swan's 
breast. 

What is lengthened by being cut at both 
ends? A ditch. 

"I am what I am; I am not what I fol- 
low. If I were what I follow, I should not 
be what I am." What is it? A footman. 

Which is the strongest day of the week? 
Sunday. All the others are weak days. 



